Will a consultation always be required if I claim PIP?

A consultation will be required for the majority of people having a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment.

PIP is a ‘personal’ payment and recognises that everyone is different. Even two people with the same condition can be affected in different ways – so a key part of the benefit is making sure that the DWP can have a fuller understanding of how your disability or condition affects you.

In some situations, the Health Professional (HP) will be able to complete the assessment report using the information already provided by you and we will not need you to attend a consultation.

When you make a claim for PIP, the DWP will send us the information that you have provided. Our HPs will carefully review that information and will consider if a fully justified report can be prepared.  If that is not possible at this stage we may try to gather more evidence from someone involved in your care or we may ask you to attend a consultation.  We can seek evidence only from the people that you have noted on your ‘How your disability affects you’ form, so it is important that you provide a complete list and also include their full contact details. 

For the majority of people, a consultation will usually be necessary and is the best way to hear from you in your own words about how you are affected on a daily basis. Each claim is treated individually and the effects of a health condition or disability can vary from person to person.