PIP assessment on 17 Aug!

Hi! I sent off my partner's PIP form on the 11th July and apparently two HCP's have looked at it and recommended my partner have a F2F, despite me including everything I possibly could like GP letters, diaries, medical records, etc. I also told them a F2F would traumatise my partner due to his cripping social phobia and intense anxiety. He also has moderate/severe depression.

Anyway, the F2F is booked for the 17th of August, I've already notified ATOS (Sorry, Independent Assessment Services ) that I intend to speak on his behalf as his appointee, which they confirmed and that I intend to record the assessment, which was also confirmed. They also told me we could wait in the assessment room to avoid the main waiting room. He couldn't provide me a letter stating this as they "didn't have a way of sending a letter out". I did record the phone call, but I've told that because I did not notify the person I spoke to that I'd recorded the call (I have ADHD so naturally forgot to ask) I can't use it as proof of confirmation.

Our main points on the claim are that my partner can't engage with others or communicate verbally due to his severe social phobia/anxiety. He also struggles to motivate himself to get washed and dressed. I also handle his finances. Regarding the mobility side, he can't move when he wakes up due to intense discomfort because of all over night sweats he's had since he was 11. Due to his depression, it can take a long time (usually 3-5 hours) to motivate himself to move the 6 metres to the bathroom to get washed. I don't see how we can show the assessor this.

Also on the mobility side, we're having to aim towards the descriptor that states he can't go out due to anxiety and distress, since the one where he NEEDS accompaniment (which he does) now excludes psychological distress. That would have fitted him best as he can't go out alone when prompted.

I'm concerned mostly about potential questions we may be asked. I know some are covered in the PIP claim guide and I have read that several times, front to back. I just don't know what a "good" answer would be. My partner likes to watch TV/Youtube, usually documentaries. We also watch dramas like Game of Thrones. I don't know why they would ask this but they did at his ESA assessment, presumably trying to be friendly before they wrote a pack of lies.

My partner uses Facebook because he can control who sees his posts and doesn't really post on public social media outlets except for the odd retweet once every 6 months. Online or off, he doesn't communicate. He doesn't have a phone of any description as he finds them terrifying.

How much is his using Facebook going to go against him for the purposes of communication and social interaction? He has all his posts set to friends only, can DWP bypass this? Will his watching TV go against him? Is there anything else we should know? Thank you

Thanks Gordon.

It'd help him a little. Going outdoors doesn't scare him, but the people outside do. Either way, they called his GP who confirmed the appointments he's attended, even though he's been registered for 17 years and they've taken it as confirmation he can attend at an assessment centre. Asking my partner's GP to keep writing letters is causing my partner excessive distress as he hates asking for anything, even if I'm doing it on his behalf. This is the main reason he hasn't had home visits from his doctor in the past.

Thank you for your advice regarding how to answer, I will keep that in mind.

Can you expand on how I can be careful explaining Facebook? The way I see it, I can tell the truth and say he uses it (though he never posts in groups or chat, except with me) and 95% of his posts are shares.

Thank you!

Hi .I am just moving on to pip.have the form ..I didn't even think they would ask about using the phone or going on Facebook .is this usual? Hope it works out for you Gordon...

Thanks Gordon, I'll keep that in mind. Can I ask about recording the assessment? I know the rules regarding the actual recording and what I can/can't use and I have permission and consent to use the permission phone call as proof too. I plan to take a fresh pack of tapes and an extension lead, as well as two microphones. Can I please ask however, if the recordings are usable at the Tribunal, if it comes to that? Someone on another site who is very helpful insists that it requires a costly transcription to be usable, but can't say how much. Is this correct?

I don't want to go to this trouble (the recorders I'm looking at are going to cost £50 for two, in addition to the other bits) if it's going to cost too much to use.