Q2 - standing and sitting
This advice applies to Wales. See advice for See advice for England, See advice for Northern Ireland, See advice for Scotland
This question is on page 9 of the form - see what it looks like
How to answer the question
This question is about how your illness or disability affects whether you can change seats, sit and stand.
"Can you move from one seat to another right next to it without help from someone else?"
No
Yes
It varies
Think about whether you'd be able to sit in an adjustable office chair, rather than an armchair or any other type of seat you'd use at home.
If you use a wheelchair, think about whether you need physical help getting from your wheelchair into a different seat or into the car.
Don't feel embarrassed if you have to tick "no", for example if:
you'd need someone to help you
you'd lose your balance and fall over if someone didn't help you
you'd struggle to move seats more than once in a day without help from another person - perhaps because it would be uncomfortable, painful, leave you short of breath or tired
"While you are standing or sitting (or a combination of the two) how long can you stay in one place and be pain free without the help of another person?"
Less than 30 minutes
30 minutes to one hour
More than one hour
It varies
Think about when you're waiting for something like a bus or a doctor's appointment - and whether you have to do things such as get up every 10 minutes to cope with the pain of sitting and standing.
Try not to overestimate how long you can stand, sit, or sit and stand for.
For example if you're sitting on a chair at home you might need to stand up after a few minutes, but not notice how often you're doing it.
Don't feel embarrassed if you have to tick "less than 30 minutes", for example if:
you can't stand for that length of time unless you have 2 sticks or crutches - and you also can't sit for 30 minutes
after 30 minutes you'd be in pain, but you'd force yourself through it
What to write in the box
It's important you tell the DWP more by explaining your situation in the box.
You should explain things like:
if it's difficult for you to change from standing up to sitting down, or from sitting to standing - and what makes it difficult for you
if you'd need to do something after sitting or standing for too long, for example relieve the pain by laying down
what problems you have when you sit or stand for too long - such as feeling sick, tiredness, trouble breathing, muscle pain or joint pain
why you have problems, for example your bad back makes it hard to balance
whether there are positions you can't sit in because they cause you pain
Natalie says: "I was in a car crash last year and damaged my back. I use a walking stick to get around most of the time. I have trouble finding a comfortable position so can't sit or stand for long. I need to get up and move around every 15 to 20 minutes otherwise I'll seize up."
How the DWP assess this question
The DWP look at a list of statements called 'descriptors'. They'll give you a number of points depending on which descriptor applies to you.
The DWP add together all the points you get from the whole form. This means you can qualify for ESA even if you don't get all the points for this question.
Descriptors for question 2
Descriptors | Points |
---|---|
Descriptors
2 (a) Cannot move between one seated position and another seated position located next to one another without receiving physical assistance from another person. |
Points
15 |
Descriptors
(b) Cannot, for the majority of the time, remain at a work station, either:(i) standing unassisted by another person (even if free to move around); or(ii) sitting (even in an adjustable chair); or(iii) a combination of (i) and (ii)for more than 30 minutes, before needing to move away in order to avoid significant discomfort or exhaustion. |
Points
9 |
Descriptors
(c) Cannot, for the majority of the time, remain at a work station, either:(i) standing unassisted by another person (even if free to move around); or(ii) sitting (even in an adjustable chair); or(iii) a combination of (i) and (ii)for more than an hour before needing to move away in order to avoid significant discomfort or exhaustion. |
Points
6 |
Descriptors
(d) None of the above applies. |
Points
0 |
Next steps
Help us improve our website
Take 3 minutes to tell us if you found what you needed on our website. Your feedback will help us give millions of people the information they need.