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So scared of my pip assessment tomorrow!

roxieb88

Hi I just stumbled on this site, when I was looking for what they ask ask at these assessments, I have my pip assessment tomorrow at home and I'm so anxious about it, haven't eatting properly in days just feel sick! It dont help that I'm all full up with cold/flu, so I'm struggling to think straight.

I thought I'd write some things down so I can refer to it. I just feel like it's gunna be this interrogation! I only applied because I was told too n now I'm feeling like why did I even bother. It took me long enough to go to the doctor about it. Let alone tell someone who is looking at u like ur pure filth and all suspicious! I've read alot of the bad assessments now see as it seems to be the only ones on the internet. So what's it like are they awful? What do they ask u? Should I record the assessment?

Thanks for taking the time to read and it replies are really appreciated. Xx

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Sam_Alumni

Welcome to the community @roxieb88
I know it can feel so scary and overwhelming to have a PIP assessment and so many of our members have felt the same as you.

Will you have anyone with you? You can have anyone you want, even if it’s just for support. You can ask:

your partner, a friend or family member
a carer or health professional
an advocate, trade union representative or social worker

Assessments can be stressful. Taking someone with you can help. They can remind you about how you cope on bad days, things you can and cannot do for yourself. They can also make notes. You should tell the assessment centre if you plan to take someone with you.

We have a video about PIP assessments here:

https://youtu.be/qq5QV_SnkJs

Best of luck to you, try not to worry, you just need to be honest and clear about your impairments and how they effect you every day. I know we hear a lot about bad experiences at PIP assessments, but lots of people have a better time and have an assessor who listens and understands. Let us know how you get on!

poppy123456

Hi,

They will ask you questions based on how your conditions affect you. You will also need to verify what you wrote in the form. No one can tell you what they will ask exactly because that will depend on the reasons you're claiming.

You will be watched from the minute they arrive to when they leave, this is all part of the observations part of the assessment. It can last anything from 20 minutes to more than 1 hour. Have someone with you if you can, this will help with any anxiety you have. You will still need to answer all the questions yourself though.

If you're claiming for physical conditions, you don't have to do anything that will cause you pain or discomfort.

You will need permission to record the assessment and you'll need to ring them today. You will also need to use the appropriate recording equipment and produce two identical CD/tapes. One must be handed in at the end of the assessment. Recording without permission using a phone or any other recording advice is not advisable. If they catch you doing this the assessment could be stopped, your file returned to DWP and you could be refused that benefit.

Yes, make some notes if you want, this way you can refer back to them. If you kept a copy of the form you returned then have a look through that to remind yourself of what you wrote.

Remember you will always read the bad stories on any internet forum and rarely the good ones. Lots of people successfully claim PIP without any problems at all but if they've had a decision they're happy with they have no questions to ask, so we don't hear their story.

Did you send evidence with the form to support your claim? They very rarely contact anyone for anything.

Once you've had the assessment, wait a week and then ring DWP for a copy of the assessment report to be sent to you. This will give you some idea what the decision is likely to be because they mostly go with the report. Good luck.

roxieb88

Thankyou both for replying! I wasn't able to send evidence at the time, as I'm still undergoing tests. I also dnt have anyone to come either. But I'll definitely take notes. Thankyou! Xx

chiarieds

Hi @roxieb88 & welcome to this great community. I also stumbled on it a short while ago, but after I'd had my PIP assessment!

I'm sorry that waiting for your assessment has made you feel so badly; I think we can't help but feel anxious 'tho, & you reading about others poor experiences won't have helped. The thing is people write about these to express their frustration, but those who've had a good experience, & many do, wouldn't need to. The last assessor I had was lovely, & showed a great deal of empathy, & I thanked her for her help.

It may feel a bit like an interrogation, but in fact they do have to ask a great deal of questions to go through how your disability affects you. If you remember the 'How Your Disability Affects You' booklet, they just go through all the things you wrote about there. So you don't need to worry, or prepare (if you kept a copy of the booklet you might want to read through it again however); just answer honestly, that's it!

Remember to mention if you can't do any of the activities/'descriptors' safely, if any activity causes you pain during/after, or it exhausts you, or if it takes you more than twice as long as someone who doesn't suffer your problems so your much slower at doing it.

Above all you should be treated sensitively & respectfully; the assessor just needs to find out more about the problems you're facing. Try & relax, it will all be over soon. Good luck, & please keep us updated.

I see you've received great advice already from Sam & Poppy. It takes me a while to type so I was trying to reply at the same time!

phoenix46

Roxieb88. Hi ya honey. Don’t worry to much about it. I was dreading my assessment from changing over from dla to pip and to be honest I had a lovely lady I didn’t feel at any time she thought any less of me for claiming something I was entitled to. Good luck. Let us know how it went xx

Singing

Hi good luck, don’t mean to frighten you but just whatever you do don’t try to please the assessor.
Tell the truth about how bad your experience of daily life is and don’t talk about good days.
If they ask do you have good days or is it fine really, surely you can do this ? Or push you or encourage you to say positive things, about your condition, however nicely they say it or question it just say a straight ‘No’
Because my experience was I was manipulated to pretend that everything is fine, because I was on my own and scared and shut down.
Good luck

Singing

‘No’ is a full sentence, remember. You don’t have to add anything to ‘No’.

poppy123456

Singing said:

Hi good luck, don’t mean to frighten you but just whatever you do don’t try to please the assessor.
Tell the truth about how bad your experience of daily life is and don’t talk about good days.
If they ask do you have good days or is it fine really, surely you can do this ? Or push you or encourage you to say positive things, about your condition, however nicely they say it or question it just say a straight ‘No’
Because my experience was I was manipulated to pretend that everything is fine, because I was on my own and scared and shut down.
Good luck

PIP is about how you're affected at least 50% of the time over a 12 month period. During an assessment you should tell the truth and tell them about all of your days. Telling them that all of your days are bad, if that's not true isn't the best advice to give or the best thing to do. The HCP will most likely see through this and think "if this is one of your bad days, (and it isn't) then you can't be as bad as you say you are.

There's only 1 way to be during a face to face assessment and that's honest and truthful.

pollyanna1052

Thinking about you today Roxie.
I had my f2f home assessment yesterday.
Been on DLA since 2000 and feel it is an interrogation, as you say.

My appointment seemed to go ok. But I have no clue as to the outcome. I have also read many horror stories and tried not to, but can`t.

It`s a long wait to find out the result.
Best wishes xxx

Chloe_Alumni

Hi @roxieb88 and I hope today goes well. Fingers crossed and please do let us know how you get on.

roxieb88

Thankyou everyone for ur support, information and kind words!! It was great actually, the lady I saw was so lovely!! Felt very at ease. She seemed very caring which I wasn't expecting!! but who knows what they write! Find out now in 6 - 8 weeks. Xx

Chloe_Alumni

Hi @roxieb88, that's great to hear! I'm so glad it went well! If you would like to know what has been written then you can ring DWP up in a week and request a copy of the report. This will also show what points you have been given. It is rare that they would go against it, so will give you an idea about what decision to expect.

I hope you can have a lovely relaxing information now!

Aura

When I saw my Pip assessor I was with my support worker. I was told not to give her eye contact because I was told that they will take it as a sign that you're more capable when letting on.

poppy123456

Aura said:

When I saw my Pip assessor I was with my support worker. I was told not to give her eye contact because I was told that they will take it as a sign that you're more capable when letting on.

When attending a face to face assessment you should always be yourself, nothing more, nothing less.

April2018mom

Good luck @roxieb88!

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