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Taking notes to a PIP reassessment?

Fight4Justice

I know for me, this would be extremely beneficial, as I'm a poor verbal communicator. The notes would act as a useful reference to make sure I said everything I wanted to.

Do people advise for or against this? Sadly, I have to go on my own to the reassessment too. So the notes for me, feel like a necessity.

Note: I don't claim for "Reading and understanding signs, symbol's and words", so I guess it should be fine? My concern is they'll try and penalise me for bringing my notes.

Any advice or suggestions would be very welcome! Thank you.

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Comments

Sue52

Hi @ Fight4justice
I have found this on www.turn2us.org.uk and it may be helpful.

The Health Professional will type their observations in the appointment. You can ask them to tell you what they have typed and ask them to correct it if it is wrong.

You can take your own notes in the assessment or ask the person who is with you to take notes.

Good luck and i hope this helps. There will obviously be someone to answer you in a much more detailed way

Good luck and best wishes

Sue

Annabelle26

That is interesting. I too am a poor verbal communicator & get confused especially in front of strangers so was going to type a bullet list & notes to try & keep me focused. I too am having to go on my own.

Matilda

You are unlikely to be asked to make a 'presentation' of your case at assessment. Rather, the assessor will ask you a series of questions. You can take notes with you and may find it helpful to refer to these when answering.

Watch out for 'trick' questions, such as:

'Have you got any pets?' Looking after pets especially dogs might suggest a high level of energy and stamina.

Similarly, if asked if you do your own housework.

'Have you got any hobbies?' Certain hobbies such as crafts might suggest a high level of manual dexterity.

'Can you bend down to put on a sock?'

'If you drove yourself to a hospital appointment and realised halfway to the clinic you had left something in the car, would you go back for it?'

'For how long can you walk?' (Rather than how far). 20m = 30 seconds. Always relate time to distance.

In general:

Assessors (and tribunals) think that ability to drive indicates a high level of strength, i.e. enough to bathe and dress in average time.

I took a taxi to assessment venue and said that I only drive myself on a few short journeys each week. Assessment company will refund taxi fares if arranged in advance. Phone assessment co's helpline.

Don't dress up, wear clothes without fastenings. If female, wear flat shoes and minimal make up and jewellery. Assessor will put in their report if you look 'kempt and tidy', i.e. if you appear able to groom yourself without any difficulty.

Assessor will be assessing you informally all the time. They will watch you walk from waiting area to interview room. And if you put any items down on the floor and pick them up again. There should be a chair next to you to put your belongings.

Fight4Justice

Thanks for all the answers everyone. Very useful. I'm going to be taking my notes. I might wait until the recording starts before bringing them up. Just to force them to try and say on tape that I can't use them. I'm probably being a bit paranoid, but I don't trust these assessors at all. What kind of person would work for a company like that? One with no moral values or ethics.

By the way. I just noticed something on their "Understanding Your Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment" booklet they send to you, alongside your appointment letter.

On pg. 9 it states the following:

"Please tell the Health Professional if you'd like to see what they're writing in their report. Sometimes it may be easier if they describe what's being written".

As they say, "seeing is believing". I'll be going for the first part of that. Taking my booklet with me, in case the assessor on the day says it's not allowed.

CockneyRebel

Hi

Have you asked for permission to record ?
For a PIP assessment you need to supply equipement to record two copies to either cassette or CD
Although the assessor may tell you what is written or show you, The actual report will be completed after your assessment

CR

Fight4Justice

Yes, I did. Although, I'm yet to receive my new appointment letter. I phoned them up again yesterday asking about that, and to confirm the changes have gone through. They said they have. I'm now a bit anxious about what happens if I don't receive the new letter, with the changes stated on them? Can the assessor on the day just say they haven't heard anything about it? Again, I'm probably being paranoid.

I'm taking 3x recording devices but I suspect I'll only be allowed to use 2. I rang up asking if I could bring a third. The adviser I was talking to instantly became aggressive. Asking "why would you want to bring 3"? I said the obvious, "in case my copy is damaged, or one of the recorders malfunctions during the assessment". He then said something like "there's probably not enough room for 3". I said "they're very small". He then said something like, "why not bring 20 then"? I said "I don't have that kind of money". We then went round in circles for a while before he finally said "it will be at the discretion of the Health Professional". I asked "if the Health Professional doesn't let me used my third device, can I get it in writing, that I was refused the ability to use a third device"? He flatly said "no". I could also hear him writing stuff down on his end. So I suspect whoever my assessor is, will be prepared for me, I don't care. I'm prepared for a war.

I didn't know they write the report after the assessment. I hope my recorders don't fail me. If I get cheated, and the assessor's report contradicts my recording. I'm making a digital copy and sending it straight to "The Guardian", and whichever Labour MP I can get in touch with the fastest. Don't give a monkeys about consequences.

Fight4Justice

My post vanished? Guessing it was because of the illegal references?

I'll make a shorter to the point reply.

Yes I did ask for permission. I confirmed it again over the phone yesterday. I'm still waiting to receive my updated appointment letter though.

I have 3x recorders. I'm bringing all 3, if they only let me use 2, so be it.

I didn't know that, regarding the report being completed after. I'll probably still ask to watch what they're typing anyway.

I hope I'm just being paranoid, and everything goes well. Will see.