PIP planning and following journeys: descriptors and example answers
Planning and following journeys asks whether you can work out a route and follow it, on familiar and unfamiliar journeys, without getting lost or overwhelmed. It covers finding your way, coping with a change of plan, and overwhelming psychological distress about going out. Physical walking is a separate activity, moving around.
Whether you can plan and follow a route, familiar or not, without distress or getting lost.
In this guide
In short
- It's about finding your way, not the physical walking - that's moving around.
- Familiar and unfamiliar journeys are scored differently.
- Overwhelming distress about going out counts, even if you're physically able to walk.
- An assistance dog, orientation aid, or someone with you can all count as help.
Pick what happens when you plan or follow a journey, and what helps. The helper writes it up in plain words for question 13.
What the activity asks
Planning and following journeys is question 13 on the PIP2 form, and one of the two mobility activities. It's about finding your way, not the physical act of walking, which is covered by moving around.
It asks about working out a route, following it once you're on it, coping with a change of plan, understanding timetables, and following signs on a journey.
What counts for this activity
The descriptors separate a few things:
- Familiar journeys, such as routes you travel often, and unfamiliar journeys, which are scored differently.
- Prompting needed to undertake a journey, to avoid overwhelming psychological distress.
- Overwhelming psychological distress about going out at all, even if you're physically able to walk.
- Whether you need another person, an assistance dog, or an orientation aid such as a long cane to follow a route.
What 'reliably' means
For every activity, DWP should only count what you can do:
- safely, without real risk of harm, such as getting lost somewhere unfamiliar;
- to an acceptable standard;
- repeatedly, as often as you'd reasonably need to;
- in a reasonable time, no more than twice as long as someone without your condition.
So if you can manage a familiar journey once but get lost the next time, or only cope with the anxiety on some days, say so.
The descriptors
These are the official statements, from the least help to the most. DWP picks the one that fits you on more than half of days. The PIP descriptors guide shows how each one is scored.
- Can plan and follow the route of a journey unaided.
- Needs prompting to be able to undertake any journey to avoid overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant.
- Cannot plan the route of a journey.
- Cannot follow the route of an unfamiliar journey without another person, assistance dog or orientation aid.
- Cannot undertake any journey because it would cause overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant.
- Cannot follow the route of a familiar journey without another person, an assistance dog or an orientation aid.
Example answers
Invented examples, not real claims. Write your own in your own words, about your own day.
Weak: "I get lost sometimes."
This doesn't say when, how often, or what you need.
Clearer: "I can walk to shops on my own street, but I can't follow a route I don't already know without someone coming with me. Buses running a different way or a diversion confuse me completely. Last month I got lost when my usual bus was rerouted and had to call someone to come and find me. Even on familiar journeys, thinking about going out alone makes me feel very anxious, and most days I don't go out on my own at all."
This says what you can manage alone, what confuses you, how often it happens, and a real example.
Good days and bad days
DWP looks at what's true on more than half of days over a year. If your ability to plan or follow journeys varies, say what a typical day is like and what a bad day is like, and how many bad days you have in a normal week or month. A diary for a couple of weeks can help you work this out.
Evidence that helps
Useful evidence includes a letter from a GP, psychiatrist, occupational therapist or orientation and mobility specialist, or a note from someone who travels with you. Send copies, not originals. See what to send with your PIP form.
Common questions
What's the difference between planning journeys and moving around?
Planning and following journeys is about finding your way. Moving around is about the physical act of standing and walking. They're scored separately.
Does anxiety about going out count for this activity?
Yes, if it causes overwhelming psychological distress that stops you making a journey, or means you need prompting to go at all.
Does a familiar journey count the same as an unfamiliar one?
No. Familiar and unfamiliar journeys are scored differently. Say whether you struggle with routes you know well, or only ones you don't.
Does using a guide dog or long cane count as help?
Yes. An assistance dog or an orientation aid, such as a long cane, both count as things you need to follow a route.
What if someone always comes with me?
Say so, and say what happens when you try to go alone, since that shows what you can do without help.
Claiming is free
You can apply to DWP directly, and Citizens Advice can help at no cost. We're here if you'd rather do it yourself, at your own pace, any time, with no appointment to wait for.
Free to answer, and free while we test.
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Sources
- The Social Security (Personal Independence Payment) Regulations 2013, Schedule 1 - legislation.gov.uk - checked 27 September 2026
- PIP assessment guide part 2: the assessment criteria - GOV.UK - checked 27 September 2026