PIP assessment, no notice of call!!

locain2009

Hi all new here, and been following for sometime which looks likes there a lot of great advice!

I have bipolar and I put in my first PIP claim on the 28th April 2024. I was rang out of the blue at 9am by DWP on 22nd May 2024, on a withheld number with no prior warning. No letters of texts! She didn’t state it was an assessment just asked me some questions, like was I now taking meds, if I made a journey I couldn’t cope with what would I do ect. Nothing unusual and was really nice. It lasted 20 mins and I tried my best to answer.

I then recieved a text the same day around 3pm from DWP saying - We've received the written report of your PIP assessment. We will write to you once we've made a decision on your PIP. As a guide you should hear from us within 8 weeks. You don't need to contact us unless any of the details you gave us have changed. Thank you.

That was just under 2 weeks ago, I rang PIP to ask for my assessment report and they declined as they said no decision has been made yet, even though I know others have got this on request. I’m confused and a little nervous that I never was told this call was happening and it was an assessment, and why is was conducted like this.

Thanks

poppy123456

It wouldn't have been full assessment. They would have just rang because they had a few questions to ask to see if they could write the report without the need for a full assessment. They do not send appointment times out for those calls. This is what's known as a paper based assessment.

Now the report is returned a decision can take up to about 12 weeks.

Yes, they will send the report out to you before the decision is made, though some call centre staff may refuse to do that, as what's happened to you.

You can ring to speak to another person who will likely agree to send it. Please be aware though that the report is not the decision. It's a recommendation only. They mostly go with it but it has been known for them to go against it.

Requesting the report very often causes more anxiety than you may already be experiencing, even if the report is in your favour. For this reason it maybe better just to wait for the decision but that's entirely up to you.

locain2009

@poppy123456 thank you so much! You always seem a great help on here in anxious times!

Can I ask from your experience why they wouldn’t not do a thorough assessment and only this way? Is this a bad indication they will refuse it? I think I’ll also just await a decision your right in the anxiety side of things

poppy123456

You’re welcome. Paper based assessments take place when they have enough of information to write the report without the need for a full assessment.

It doesn’t mean you will be refused.