Reading and understanding signs, symbols and words

Reading and understanding signs, symbols and words is one of the daily living activities. The points you score for this activity are added to your scores for the other daily living activities.

Check your likely award

Working out how many points you might get can be difficult. The Turn2us PIP Helper takes you through a questionnaire about the PIP activities and gives you an estimate of the award you might be entitled to, so you don't have to work out the points yourself.

Use the Turn2us PIP Helper

Think about whether you can read and understand

When considering this activity, think about what help you need most of the time to do it:

• In your own language
• Safely
• Well enough (including without experiencing too much pain or exhaustion)
• Often enough
• Without taking too long

You get points for the sentence that is true for most of the time, or more than half the time. If more than one sentence is true, you will only get points for the one that is true for the most time. 

You can only score one set of points for speaking and understanding - do not add the points together.

No points

You get no points if you can

• read and understand written sentences when you are wearing your glasses or contact lenses
• read and understand written sentences without any help or special aids.

Examples of special aids:

• NOT glasses or contact lenses
• Larger font size
• Screen reader
• Magnifier
• Braille

Two points

You get two points if you can:

• only read or understand written sentences if you use a special aid, or
• only read or understand written sentences if someone reminds or encourages you.

Examples of complex written information:

• Letters about your benefits
• Letters from your doctor

Four points

You get four points if you can only read or understand signs, symbols, dates or simple text if someone reminds or encourages you.

Eight points

You get eight points if you cannot read or understand signs, symbols or words at all.