News

Don’t forget your travel expenses form

If you have a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) consultation at one of our PIP centres or one of our partners’ centres, remember to collect a form for your expenses while you are there.

Did you know?

Did you know? You can request a Health Professional of the same gender, all you need to do is contact our Customer Services Team who can arrange it for you.

Where might you have your PIP consultation?

Most people who claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) need to have a face-to-face consultation as part of their assessment.

When would you have a consultation at home for PIP?

For people who do need to be seen in person most consultations take place in one of the consultation centres around the country. However, if it is clear from the information that we have that travelling to a consultation centre would cause significant distress we will automatically arrange for the consultation to take place in the claimant’s home.

Observations as part of a Personal Independence Payment assessment

An aspect of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment that is sometimes misunderstood is how informal observations are taken into account. The PIP Assessment Guide, produced by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), is very explicit about this (we have included the relevant extract at the end of this item).

Can you have a companion with you for your PIP consultation?

We want to make sure that you know that you are welcome to have a companion with you during your consultation. A companion can be anyone you choose: from a friend or family member to a support worker or carer. We know that having someone with you can help to make attending a consultation much less stressful. If your consultation is at one of our consultation centres a companion can also provide practical or emotional support while you are travelling and whilst waiting to go in.

What to have with you for a PIP consultation?

One of the key things people want to know before their Personal Independence Payment (PIP) consultation is what they should have with them.

How are fluctuating medical conditions handled under Personal Independence Payment (PIP)?

We know that many people have conditions or disabilities that may vary over time. They may have good and bad days, good and bad months, or good and bad times within a day. If you have a fluctuating condition, you will want to be sure that it will be fully considered during your assessment.