New PIP update for people due assessment in-person or over the phone this year (2024)

New guidance from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) explains how health professionals can now audio record Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments conducted in-person or over the phone. DWP said it hopes this measure will “remove or reduce the need for claimants to record consultations”.

An audio recording of a face-to-face assessment or telephone consultation can be requested by the claimant before the meeting takes place. DWP guidance on GOV.UK states: “Upon prior request, providers have the facility to audio record telephone and face to face consultations.”

It adds that for a face-to-face assessment, the claimant must sign a consent form in which they agree to not use the audio recording for “unlawful purposes” and that at a telephone assessment, consent should be captured verbally on the recording. It also states: “In some circ*mstances, claimants may wish to use their own equipment to audio record their consultation. The consent process above should be followed.”

The guidance also says that health professionals must “publicise these conditions and include them in communications sent to claimants before they attend a consultation”.

DWP states that video recording of consultations is not permitted to ensure “the safety and privacy of staff and other claimants”.

PIP in Scotland

It's important to note that new claims for PIP have been replaced in Scotland by Adult Disability Payment. Social Security Scotland delivers the disability benefit and has a different approach to assessments, which are only conducted if more information is required and held in a way that is most suitable to the claimant - find out more here.

Existing PIP claimants living in Scotland are being transferred to the new payment in phases, with this expected to be completed by the end of 2025. Nobody needs to make a new claim, the migration is automatic.

Restrictions on claimants’ use of recordings

The guidance warns that if it is only the claimant’s personal data that is being recorded then there are “no restrictions on the use the claimant can make of the recording”. However, the DWP “reserves the right to take appropriate action where the recording is used for unlawful purposes” - for example, if it is altered and published for malicious reasons.

Covert recording of consultations

The guidance also states that a claimant may make a covert recording of the consultation without the health professional being aware. It says that if the assessor notices that a claimant is covertly recording their consultation, they will explain the recording restrictions to the claimant.

Note-taking during the consultation

Claimants and companions taking part in a consultation are entitled to take notes for their own purposes. The guidance explains that claimants or their companions may keep the notes and do not have to provide a copy for the health professional. However, the health professional may record that notes were taken and the guidance clarifies that “the notes are for the claimant or companion’s own purposes and are not an official record of the process”.

The latest statistics from the DWP show that some 661,620 PIP assessments were conducted over the phone between February 2022 and January 2023. The figure accounts for 66 per cent of all assessments and includes new claims, award reviews and change of circ*mstances.

Data shared earlier this year by Minister for Disabled People, Tom Pursglove MP, shows that 69,570 (7%) of all assessments conducted over that same period were done in-person through a face-to-face consultation. There were also 179,390 (18.1%) paper-based assessments and 69,140 (7%) completed over a video call.

Method of PIP assessments May 2023

• Face to face - 7,290
• Remotely (video call or telephone) - 68,460
• Paper-based - 18,600

Below is some handy guidance for anyone due any type of PIP assessment. The information may also be useful to those on other health benefits that require an assessment.

How to prepare for any type of PIP assessment

If you are invited to attend a PIP assessment - as part of a new claim or an award review - it could be in-person, over the phone or by video call. Successful PIP claimants could receive between £26.90 and £172.75 every week - as PIP is paid every four weeks this amounts to between £107.60 and £691.00 every pay period.

PIP and Adult Disability Payment rates 2023/24

Daily Living Component

• Enhanced: £101.75
• Standard: £68.10

Mobility Component

• Enhanced: £71.00
• Standard: £26.90

What is a PIP assessment?

The PIP assessment is an opportunity for you to talk about how your condition affects you - it's not a diagnosis of your condition or a medical examination. The DWP will take into consideration evidence from the assessment to decide if you should be awarded PIP.

A health professional will carry out your assessment, write a report and send it to the DWP decision maker.

Talking about how your condition affects you

A helpful guide on the Citizens Advice website says that you should be prepared to talk about how your condition affects you even if you’ve already detailed it on your PIP evidence form (the PIP2 document).

This can be hard to do, but it will really help if you can talk about:

• the kind of things you have difficulty with, or can’t do at all - for example, walking up steps without help or remembering to go to appointments

• how your condition affects you from day to day

• what a bad day is like for you - for example, "On a bad day, I can’t walk at all because my injured leg hurts so much" or "On a bad day, I’m so depressed I can’t concentrate on anything"

It’s also a good idea to have a copy of your PIP evidence claim form with you for telephone, video and face-to-face assessments, that way you, or something with you, can refer back to it.

Observations on what you say and do during the assessment

The assessor will use the information you gave on your PIP claim form but also draw opinions from what you say and do on the day. For example, they might ask you how you got to the centre for a face-to-face assessment - if you say you came on the bus, without further clarification, they could make a note stating that you can travel alone on public transport - unless you highlight otherwise.

You might also be asked to carry out some physical tasks during the face-to-face assessment. Don’t feel you have to do things that you wouldn’t normally be able to do. If you do them on assessment day, the assessor may think you can always do them, so if you’re not comfortable with something - say so.

During the telephone assessment you may be asked to describe how you complete simple tasks such as preparing and cooking food, getting washed and dressed and how you move around outside the home. Don’t rush to respond, remember they are looking at your claim form and asking the same questions you have already answered.

Pause, reflect and reply

Break your answer down and take them through how you complete tasks step-by-step to paint an accurate picture of how your disability or health condition affects you.

What may seem like a drawn out process for you, will demonstrate exactly how you accomplish tasks to the assessor - so don’t try to speed up or simplify how you get things done.

The assessor will also make a note of your mental state during the assessment - for example, they will record whether you look or sound depressed or happy, tense or relaxed and how you cope with social interaction.

Things to remember during the assessment

• Don’t let the assessor rush you and try not to just answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to their questions
• Always try to explain how doing something would make you feel afterwards and the impact it can have on you if you had to do it repeatedly in a short period of time

You can have someone with you while you do the assessment over the phone, on the video call or in person, just remember to put the call on loudspeaker and advise the assessor who is with you.

Taking someone with you to a face-to-face assessment for support

The DWP has guidance on attending an assessment, which you can find on the GOV.UK website here. You can take someone with you into the actual assessment if they are 16 or over. This could be anyone who makes you feel more comfortable, like a friend, relative or carer. If you want, they can take part in discussions and make notes for you.

Before going to a face-to-face assessment

Check with your assessment provider that your assessment centre has everything you need - if it doesn’t, you can ask for it. This can help make you feel more comfortable on the day.

Here are a few examples:

• ask if you will have to go upstairs, and if there’s a lift that can accommodate a wheelchair if you need one

• ask how roomy the centre is if you get anxious in enclosed spaces - if the rooms or corridors are small, tell them this could make you anxious and see what they can offer you

• ask for an interpreter or signer if you need one - do this at least two working days before your assessment so they have time to organise it

• ask for the person carrying out the assessment to be the same gender as you, if that’s important to you

• ask if you can make an audio recording of the assessment - you must do this three days before your assessment and ask your provider about the rules for using recording equipment

Changing the venue

If the location of your face-to-face assessment is more than 90 minutes away by public transport and you have difficulty travelling long distances, you might be offered an alternative location or home visit. Again, refer to the newly published guidance as it includes travel restriction advice for Scotland, England and Wales.