Outsourcing giant Capita will assess Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims from people with disabilities or long-term health conditions for another six months after winning a contract extension with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The business said that the extension to the PIP contract would run from August 2023 to February 2024.
Capita has been running the assessments in the Midlands and Wales since 2013 (not Scotland), the year PIP was introduced and started replacing Disability Living Allowance (DLA). Al Murray, chief executive of Capita Public Service, said: “We are proud of our work delivering PIP assessments on behalf of DWP. This extension is testament to our strong track record for delivery and longstanding relationship with our client.”
The latest statistics from DWP show that in November last year some 60,680 PIP assessments were conducted by phone and 8,210 by video call. A further 18,340 benefit award decisions were paper-based decisions.
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 £24.45 and £156.90 every week - as PIP is paid every four weeks this amounts to between £97.80 and £627.60 every pay period.
To help you prepare for your PIP assessment, below is everything you need to know about them - whatever the format.
It's important to be aware that Adult Disability Payment (ADP) has now replaced PIP for new claimants living in Scotland. Existing PIP claimants will be transferred to the devolved payment by the end of 2025 in a staggered approach - nobody needs to apply for ADP and there will be no break in payments.
However, the consultation process is slightly different and face-to-face assessments will only take place if necessary or at the request of the applicant - find out more here.
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 published updated 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.
More help available
Citizens Advice and Benefits and Work have regularly updated details available designed to help claimants understand the assessment process.
To keep up to date with the latest PIP or Adult Disability Payment news, join our Money Saving Scotland Facebook page here, or subscribe to our newsletter which goes out four times each week - sign up here.
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