What the question means

This question is about how your condition makes it difficult for you to:

  • meet people and mix with them

  • judge situations when you’re with other people and behave appropriately

  • establish relationships with people – for example make friends

You should think about how meeting and mixing with strangers makes you feel – and if you try to avoid it.

This question is to do with face to face contact, so it doesn’t matter if you use your phone to text people.

Tick box question 11a

Does your condition affect you mixing with other people?

  • Yes
  • No

You should probably tick “Yes” if for example you:

  • need someone with you when you meet people you don’t know (for example to introduce you to them and start a conversation)

  • need someone to help you before or after you meet people (for example to help you keep calm)

  • don’t know how you’re going to react when you meet and mix with other people (for example you might become aggressive)

  • need someone with you but you don’t currently get that help
  • become anxious when you meet and mix with other people
  • don’t like the idea of mixing with other people
  • avoid mixing with other people because of the anxiety and distress it causes you

Question 11b

Tell us about the difficulties you have with mixing with other people and how you manage them.

It’s important you tell the DWP more by explaining your situation in the box.

It’s your chance to give the DWP a true picture of how your condition affects your ability to mix with other people. They’ll use this to decide if you can get PIP.

You can also use this space to explain what help you need if you don’t currently get any.

Someone prompts, reassures or supports you

Make it clear if you need help but don’t get it. If you do get help, say who helps you (for example, carer or friend) and explain:

  • why they help

  • how they help, for example they might stay with you for a while to make sure you’re ok

  • how often they help

Make it clear if you need them to:

  • help you all of the time, just sometimes or say if it’s too difficult to predict

  • be on hand – for example, help you only if needed or to make sure you and the other people are safe

Always explain what happens (or would happen) if you don’t get help. For example:

  • you’re more likely to put yourself and others in danger

  • you’re more likely to experience physical or mental symptoms like anxiety, distress or confusion

  • it’ll take you at least twice as long to mix with people as someone without your condition

Safety: accidents or risk of injury

Explain if you’ve ever:

  • become aggressive towards someone else

  • felt vulnerable when you’re with other people

  • needed help from someone who knows about your condition

Make it clear if these problems were because:

  • you didn’t get help or support

  • your condition affects your levels of concentration or mood, which might increase the likelihood of problems

  • you get anxious

You should also say if you think this is likely to happen in future. You should mention:

  • how often a risk happens, even if it doesn’t happen regularly

  • how badly you could be harmed

  • whether there’s anything you can do to prevent it happening

Good days and bad days

Explain how you cope on both good days and bad days and how you manage over a longer period of time (like a week). This gives the DWP a better picture of how you cope most of the time.

Make it clear:

  • if you have good days and bad days

  • how often you have bad days

  • if you have bad days more often than not
  • how your difficulties and symptoms differ on good days and bad days

It’s ok to estimate your bad days but say if you are. If it’s too difficult to estimate, explain why. For example, because your condition fluctuates.

Time it takes

Think about whether it takes you at least twice as long to mix with other people as someone without your condition. For example you might have to mentally prepare yourself before you go out.

Try to explain how long it takes. It’s ok to estimate but say if you are. If it’s too hard to estimate explain why – for example because your condition fluctuates. 

Remember to:

  • include time for breaks if you need them
  • explain if it takes you even longer on a bad day
  • say if it takes longer if you have to do it repeatedly

Symptoms like anxiety, distress or confusion

Explain whether the difficulties you have meeting and mixing with people cause you any physical or mental symptoms (like anxiety, distress, confusion, or if they make you feel down).  

It’s helpful to explain the symptoms and give an example, including:

  • how often you have them

  • how long they last

  • if they’re likely to increase the risk of injury or danger

  • if they affect your ability to carry out any of the other activities on your PIP claim form

Help with question 12: making decisions about money

Back to Help Filling in your PIP Claim Form