When you have fulfilled your PIP form and sent it to DWP, this kind of department will be sending you an appointment letter. 1.6.62 Video recording of consultations is not permitted. Can they access all areas of their home and have they had to make any modifications? 1.15.34 It is important that in all telephone contact with claimants or their representatives, the correct person is being spoken to. If the HP has reason to believe that the companion(s) are attending for a reason other than to support the claimant, the HP has the right to decline the presence of the companion(s) at the assessment. Before treating a standard claim under the SREL process, the HP should take steps to discreetly gain an understanding of the level of knowledge the claimant has about their own condition and prognosis. He was awarded the daily living and mobility components, both at the standard rate. 1.7.29 Any DS1500s received direct by APs should not be considered. The HP should inform the professional being contacted that this record is being produced and that this may be made available to the claimant and/or their representative. If there is any doubt, the telephone call should be terminated and, if necessary, the claimant or their representative should be contacted using the telephone contact number on file. This should be explored through further questions to develop this detail. The PA5 should also be used where additional information does not change the original advice. 63 replies 18.3K views. 1.1.9 If the claimant is unhappy with the decision on their award, they have the right of reconsideration and, if a claimant disagrees with the reconsideration, they have the right to appeal to His Majestys Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS). It should be explained that the assessment focuses on the effects of their health condition or impairment on their day-to-day life, looking at what they can and cannot do in relation to the daily living and mobility activities. If capacity has been lost then the expectation is that the claimant would be accompanied. In the case of fluctuation, the frequency and impact of periods of exacerbation and remission should be explored and recorded. Consideration should also be given to whether, as a result of the claimants health condition or impairment, the claimants companion or advocate may be better placed to describe their needs. The HP should note in the report that they have explained the procedure to the claimant and obtained their consent to proceed. If the information is available, the CM will transcribe the decision and any justification, word for word, into the medical evidence screen of the PIPCS. 1.8.15 If the HPs opinion on descriptor choice differs from information provided by the claimant, the HP should draw on evidence to fully justify their advice to the DWP. The HPs evaluation could include the level of expertise of the individual offering the opinion; their direct knowledge of the claimants health condition or impairment; and whether it is medically reasonable. 1.8.17 In some health conditions, the level of disability varies over time. 1.15.2 Consent may be written, verbal and in certain circumstances given by a third party. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. The 2019 PIP rates were: For daily living- Standard rate: weekly rate of 58.70 and 8-11 points required. 1.6.36 When considering mental health medication HPs should remember that not all claimants with a mental health condition will be on medication or receiving therapy. When pain is a significant symptom we would expect the claimant to be able to describe the location, type, severity and variability of the pain they experience and the impact it has on their daily life. Only 7% of those surveyed said their GP has been contacted, with a further 35% saying they were unsure. If the HP identifies such a condition, they have a responsibility notify a suitable person involved in the claimants care. 1.3.1 This section describes how to carry out the assessment. You can learn more about having an assessment at home by buying this book on this website. Citizens advice. However, the HP should bear in mind that for claimants with stable long-term conditions, the evidence available may be older. 1.8.8 For claimants living outside the UK (known as exportability cases) a slight change to the process is required. This is because the HP is not trying to make a diagnosis of their condition. PIP telephone assessment | Mental Health Forum The health professional has already read your PIP form with the supporting evidence that you have to provide about your medical condition. You are going to go through some activities in the PIP assessment with questions on mental health and these kinds of activities last for 60 minutes: You can learn more about what goes on in a psychological examination by buying this book on this website. For example, if the evidence of terminal illness comes from the claimants GP, the HP should telephone the GP to confirm whether the claimant is aware. She tries to find support for vulnerable men and women in abusive relationships. How much Universal Credit can I get for mental health? PIP assessment guide part 1: the assessment process - GOV.UK 1.8.7 For a scoring descriptor to apply, the claimants health condition or impairment must affect their ability to complete the activity on more than 50 per cent of days in the 12 month period. Contact a Welfare & Benefits Advisor if you need additional advice or support. 1.13.2 Reasons for supplementary advice might be (but are not limited to): further evidence having been received from the claimant after the assessment report has been returned to the department, help interpreting and explaining medical terminology the claimant has provided in claim packs or that health professionals have included in medical reports. Assessment providers should improve training for assessors to make sure they are mental health informed with knowledge and understanding about how someone's mental health can fluctuate and impact their lives on a day-to-day basis so that people can get the financial support they need. 1.6.58 Upon prior request, providers have the facility to audio record telephone and face to face consultations. If the HP notices that a claimant is covertly recording their consultation, the restrictions above should be explained to the claimant. 1.4.17 The DWP currently pays for 2 specific forms of evidence: factual reports from GPs and GP- and consultant-completed DS1500s. In this brief blog, we will be talking about PIP assessment questions on mental health, what the PIP assessment is for, the procedure of the PIP assessment, and more information about PIP assessment questions on mental health. This section also covers other areas on which HPs may be asked to provide advice. Am I eligible for Employment & Support Allowance (ESA)? PIP assessment questions on mental health, find it difficult to do regular tasks or get around because of a physical or mental illness which you can make a claim whether you get help or support from another person or not, have found these things challenging for 3 months and expect it to remain for another 9 months, typically be living in England, Scotland or Wales when you register, have lived and stayed in England, Scotland or Wales for at least 2 years, unless youre a refugee or an immediate family member of a refugee. If you are considered to not have much disability in certain activities, you should try some of the following activities: The assistance you will get can be a person or a pet or you might be accompanied by a driver to your car or the service might change your home to make you accommodate easily in your condition. What does the assessor observe during the PIP assessment? 1.6.50 HPs should be ready to terminate consultations at any point should they become too stressful for the claimant. It is not intended to cover all the requirements placed on APs as part of the PIP assessment contracts, their full business processes, or work carried out by DWP to monitor and manage AP performance. PIP Phone Assessment - My Experience - She Might Be Loved These conditions are characterised by periods of remission and relapse or good days and bad, during which the level of functional impairment can change for example multiple sclerosis or chronic fatigue syndrome. 'I feel ashamed in a way I never did before': your stories of PIP There are 3 main benefits that you can claim if you regularly need support to manage your mental health: Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for people over 16 to State Pension age. If you plan to travel by taxi, you must get the assessment centre to agree to this before your assessment. 1.4.3 If a claimant presents further relevant evidence during a consultation which is not already on PIPCS, the HP should always consider its relevance when completing their assessment report. This question does not signify your ability to walk. Ask for an interpreter or signer if you need one. Any relevant side effects which affect the claimants functionality should be recorded here and an indication of the effectiveness of any treatment provided. the safety implications for a home consultation for the HP for example, where the claimant has previously displayed unacceptable behaviour towards the DWP and this has been noted in their case file. It is paid to make a contribution to the extra costs that disabled people may face, to help them lead full, active and independent lives. We have translated the site; would you prefer to read in Welsh? The damning report conducted by the Public. The HP should also include what relevant investigations have been carried out or planned for the future. You may be asked to provide medical evidence as to why you cant attend the assessment centre. 1.4.9 The HP should also clarify whether any information provided by the professional is harmful or confidential. Where the claim has been made by a third party, the HP should contact the third party, rather than the claimant as the claimant may not be aware of their prognosis. The claimant and any companion should feel fully involved in the process and feel that the consultation is a genuine two-way process. Preparing for your PIP assessment - Citizens Advice News stories, speeches, letters and notices, Reports, analysis and official statistics, Data, Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports. 1.12.6 Examples of health conditions that may affect mental capacity and may potentially mean the claimant could struggle to engage with the PIP journey include (but are not limited to): 1.13.1 CMs may make requests for supplementary advice at any stage in the decision-making process. How are mental health and money worries linked? 1.6.34 The HPs informal observations will also help check the consistency of evidence on the claimant's functional ability. GMC guidance is clear that if a doctor insists on a copy of the original claimant consent then DWP must provide it. You can request a copy of your report once the DWP writes to you with a decision. 1.1.5 Claimants currently make an application for PIP by phone and once basic entitlement conditions are established, the claimant is asked to complete the How your disability affects you questionnaire, referred to in this guide as the claimant questionnaire. The appointment letter will invite you to a PIP medical assessment at one of their assessment centres. The person chosen is at the discretion of the claimant and might be, but is not limited to, a parent, family member, friend, carer or advocate. if so, which of the descriptors in the mobility activities set out in the assessment criteria are likely to be relevant to the claimant. The health professional will use this time to listen to you about some aspects of your condition when you are engaging in daily activities in life. 1.7.2 Claimants who identify themselves as nearing the end of life on the initial claim form can seek to claim PIP under the Special Rules for End of Life (SREL). PIP sits alongside support provided by the NHS and local authorities and is not meant to duplicate that support. This may be particularly important where the claimant has a mental, cognitive or intellectual impairment. 1.6.53 On most occasions the claimant is likely to have one, or possibly 2, companions. 1.9.6 If there is more than one relevant functional condition, the prognosis should take account of the effects of all conditions and the added impairment resulting from any interactions that may occur. The position with PIP is different; the law says that you don't even have to have a medical diagnosis. You can ask for an adjustment of your appointment date for your PIP assessment with questions on mental health by calling your assessment provider using the contact number in the appointment letter. Mental Health and PIP phone assessment. - Benefits and Work 1.13.9 Where the assessment was completed using the PIPAT, it will be necessary to create the appropriate supplementary advice on the PIPAT and once submitted a PA5/PA6 will be output to the DWP. This is because they have been deemed incapable of engaging directly with the DWP or its contracted APs. To ask for an adjustment, phone your assessment provider in advance using the number on your appointment letter. 1.7.15 If the claimant is already in receipt of PIP and the case has been referred under SREL as a change of circumstances, the HP must include an indication of when the claimant first became terminally ill. Failure to provide this information may result in the advice being returned for rework. There may also be activities that could be carried out by the young person, but for which the parent or guardian continues to assume responsibility. If you have a terminal illness the rules about how long youve found things difficult and been living in England, Wales or Scotland for 2 years isnt practised. This assessment is also not depending on your medical treatments. Q13: going out - Citizens Advice Each descriptor has a score. You need to relate your answer to how it speaks to your concern. I am worried about the cost-of-living crisis, Requesting adjustments to the PIP assessment, Planning your journey to the PIP assessment, How to claim travel expenses for your PIP assessment. 59% of people said that the assessor did seem to have read their form She both reassured us that she had and also seemed to understand what has been written in the form. 1.9.4 Advice must be, logical, take into account current advances in medical care, be medically consistent and should reflect the evidence on likely prognosis from the claimants professionals where available. The actual amount of PIP you can get depends on the number of points awarded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for both components. For example, there is an inconsistency of evidence if a claimant bends down to retrieve a handbag from the floor but then later during formal assessment of the spine, declines to bend at all on the grounds of pain, or if the claimant states that they have no mobility problems but they appear to struggle to walk to the consulting room. The DWP will send you a letter once they have made their decision. This part of the assessment is an opportunity for you to explain your needs face-to-face. This report presents the key findings from the surveys of claimants who took part in a telephone health assessment as part of their benefit claim for Personal Independence Payment ( PIP. PIP assessors are looking for disability assessors that are licensed and trained for the assessment of disabilities either for physical disability or mental disability. Summarising back to the claimant what has been said is useful to show active listening and to ensure that key pieces of information have been correctly heard. Question 13a They themselves do not have to attend. It's not based on the condition you're in or the medication you're taking. 1.7.28 Where it is felt that this is still insufficient, the HP would be asked to contact the health professional the claimant has identified on the claim form, to obtain information in order to advise the DWP.