Pip review

Hi Robert,
Welcome to Benefits & Work!
Have a look at our detailed guides, if you haven't done so already.
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/personal-independence-payment-pip-2
First and best piece of advice is to try not to worry and be yourself. It is easy to overthink about assessments. Second, read a copy of your form, which hopefully you have kept. Have a copy with you during the assessment. Third, have someone with you, and get them to make notes. It is up to you whether you make a recording, but please read the section about that in the guides.
Doing a phone assessment is a little more difficult than face to face. The assessor won't know if you look tired or need a break. If you have someone with you they can assist in this respect, and ask for a break if they notice you need one. Don’t be afraid of asking for a break. Have a glass of water and make sure you are as comfortable as possible. Simple things like making sure the phone is fully charged will also alleviate some of the worry.
Your friend or relative with you won't be able to answer for you, as the assessors don't like this, but your friend can prompt you if necessary. If it really becomes too much for you, then you should ask for the assessment to stop.
Two or three days after the assessment phone DWP and ask for a copy of the report PA4. Usually DWP will send this without problems. You are entitled to this, but an occasional adviser will fob you off, in which case politely hang up and try again. Since the report will form the basis of DWP'S devision, having thus information will give you a better insight into their rationale. If for any reason the decision doesn't go in your favour, having the report will give you a head start if you need to commence the first stage of an appeal.
Things to look out for, is that the assessor will probably ask about your typical day. Using this as a framework to base opinion about the descriptor activities. So eg if you can't manage to get round the supermarket these days, say so, because it is easy to lose points by saying yes I go to the supermarket, leading the assessor to think you can walk round a huge Tesco store. Driving is the other thing, assessors are fixated on this. You can drive so you can chop vegetables and remember your pills.(Yes, I have seen those analogies written on several reports!) Give examples, and last point, whilst I know claiming PIP is a soul destroying task, where everything is negative please don't be ashamed or embarrassed to mention things. I know it is hard but many people here on the forum, and the real life claimants that some of us help, will readily admit thst they didn't discuss eg toilet problems. Unfortunately they also then regret this when insufficient points are awarded. Be brutally honest, this is what I mean about being yourself. To stand any chance of getting PIP you need to basically 'sell' your disabilities to the assessor. Tell everything. Put pride aside for those minutes. If it is relevant, tell the assessor about your incontinence, the shameful 'accidents' you have. Tell him about the constant misunderstandings you have with other people, and the fact that the police have been round on more than one occasion. Tell him that you nearly got run over by a car because you couldn't hear it, or that you nearly burnt down the kitchen last week...yes all the things that happen to you may be silly, embarrassing, show you are clumsy etc, but that is you, and that is what you need to say to the assessor. All those weird stupid incidents, and similar events are the evidence for your award.
Good luck.
LL26

Hi Robert

You have to inform them now if you want the assessment recorded. They are not set up to do this on the day. It may lead to them changing the date of your assessment, but better that you have a recording of what is said.

BIS