Good evening all,
Hope you are all well as can be and enjoying your Sunday evening 
I've got my PIP assessment this week and I'm s**ting myself (have no idea why lol). For those who have already been through the process could you kindly let me know what kind of questions they ask...
Would be greatly appreciated
Thanks in advance
Hi I had a phone appointment which lasted an hr, they just asked me the same questions that what was on the form.
Thank you... how did your assessment go, I'm a nervous wreck
I got enhanced daily living which I'm really grateful for. It was ok the lady thst phoned me was nice. I was really nervous as well cause from what I read the people that do these assessments were quite nasty so wasn't looking forward to it. When I done mine I had been diagnosed with polymalgia not fibromyalgia only got this diagnosed few days ago and started duloxetine today
Oh that is great (the reward not diagnosis or illness). A lot of what I've read isn't helping this process, fingers crossed I have a understandable assessor.
Thankfully otherwise now I'd have to go through it all again probably. Let me know how it goes. Good luck
Will do, thank you 😊
You will need to inform them that it’s fibromyalgia not polymalgia as I had to . They send out new forms and you have to go through the assessment again . I’m just waiting to hear now . Good luck and hope all goes well x
Hello, surly when you applied for PIP you stated on your application form what your illness diagnosis was . You must of sent in enough information and evidence for the DWP and the assessment company to know that your health condition was Fibromyalgia and there was no need for you to have new forms sent to go through the whole process again. Doesn’t make sense as I understand it one form is for all health conditions and your claiming on your inabilities to preform the activities and descriptors safely repeatedly and in a timely manner.
You have a form that asks if any of your other diagnoses have changed, you go through all the questions again asking if any of your needs have changed, like can you still do the things you did before or if you need more help doing things or you can’t do them anymore . They then book for another assessment interview to decide if you are entitled to the higher rate of help or if you are entitled to mobility help . If nothing has changed then I imagine you stay on the money you are already getting. You have to inform them if there are any changes to your details like the diagnosis being wrong to start with and it’s fibromyalgia not polymyalgia
Looks as your assessment was a review or renewal or a change of circumstances not a first time application.
Yes it was the one lady said she has fibromyalgia not polymyagia so I was replying to her not the First Lady , sorry if I have confused everyone
I suffer from Fibromyalgia, IBS and arthritis and increasingly struggle to do my part-time job, look after my children, home and myself. I applied for PIP for the first time in March, and in August was awarded Standard rate for Care. I scored higher than I thought I would, being just one point off higher rate! I didn’t get Mobility rate but didn’t expect to.
My assessor was patient, kind and courteous; each person I spoke to at DWP was helpful as were those I spoke to at Capita when my application was delayed (turned out it had been chosen for audit). Too often we only hear about the not-so-good assessors and caseworkers, so please be aware not all are like that! When I received the assessor’s report the points awarded by DWP were fair and reasonable based on what I told the assessor.
Thanks to @releasethemagic on this site and their pointers to the Benefits & Works site I felt I was well prepared. It’s a lot of reading and preparation but without it I don’t think I would have got the award. Those guides definitely help you focus on what’s considered for PIP and put across how your conditions affect you in the way the assessors mark you.
Other things I did along with reading the B&W guides - I made a subject access request to my GP 2 weeks before applying. They provided a summarised print out of all my visits, diagnoses and medications so I sent this in with my application form; I also sent copies of rheumatologist reports confirming my diagnoses; asked my Occupational Therapist to write a report outlining how my conditions affect me; my husband wrote a letter explaining the difficulties I encounter and how that impacts my daily life; sent a copy of my work Occupational Health assessment which explained the reasonable adjustments that have been made to help keep me in work. All these things supported what I put on my form and what I was asked in the assessment.
Whilst it’s correct what others say that it’s how your condition affects you not what your diagnosis is, I was deeply probed on my diagnoses and medications to back up how you are affected. Sometimes the side effects of my meds are worse than the actual conditions and the assessor had due regard to this - so explain that if you’re similarly affected.
The assessor asked what hobbies I had (answer: not as many as before I was ill as I can no longer do bend or use my hands as required to do gardening, cooking or sewing due to the effects of my conditions); how far could I walk unaided and how long it took me compared to how long it used to take me before I was ill; did I drive, how long could I drive for, do I have a manual or automatic car; what adaptations had been made to my home (lever taps, additional stair rail, bath handles, shower stool, new eye level oven instead of undercounter one) and what appliances did I use to aid cooking, eating, dressing, bathing and did I need assistance with these tasks.
Good luck - I hope it goes well.
This is great information, I couldn't thank you enough.I have definitely put in most of the paperwork you have detailed minus a letter from my partner as the form stated they'd contact them if necessary 🤷🏾
I will bare all your advice in mind, thank you again 😊
Just remembered- I was asked how could I grip a gear stick and steering wheel if I had dexterity issues in the kitchen - I said I had changed to an automatic due to lack of grip so the gear stick was no longer an issue and you don’t grip a steering wheel the same way you grip a knife so being capable of using the one safely does not mean you can do the other safely, especially as you can cut yourself with a knife if you suffer dexterity issues. Plus you can hold a steering wheel with both hands at the same time to steady your grip - you can’t do that with a knife!
Talking of remembering, they asked how do I manage to take my meds at the right dose and time when I’d said I was forgetful due to fibro-fog. I explained I use a Google Nest which was linked to my phone calendar so whether at home or work, I had an automatic reminder.
So be aware that there is potential to be tripped up - or maybe I’m just cynical! 🧐
I also drive automatic, definitely easier. I think thats what I'm worried about, being tripped up by them. I use a dossett box to manage my meds which I only take AM and PM which definitely helps as any meds I used to take mid day would get missed because I'd forget 🤦🏾. Thanks again for the advice
You just have to think of your worst day so far and exaggerate that its worse. Dont try and say some days you can do things better than others.
For instance they asked me do I drive and I said usually I have to get my family to drive me to hospital appointments etc so they can drop me off at the door because I find it difficult walking from a parking space but if no ones available I may just have to go myself and park as close to the building as possible. So in the assessment report it said I have no problem driving because I could get to where I was going and I could operate a vehicle with a gear stick. If I said it was automatic it would of been different. The assessor also said why couldn't I take a bus and I said because 1 I cant concentrate on which bus I need or what stop to get off from and 2 I cant walk to the bus stop and then to the doctors or hospital and then do the same on the way back with the pain I am in. I also stated that I am so tired lethargic that I have to stay in bed as long as possible so I get up and it takes a lot of time for me to get ready so I need to be able to get somewhere as quick as possible I could not spend an hour getting ready and two hours waiting for buses and traveling to the hospital and then coming back home again especially in cold or bad weather that makes my pain worse.
I just about scraped through for the lowest rates on both components.
I would also say you cant take public transport as you get panic attacks and anxiety being around other people and also say you lose control of your bladder and bowels frequently with the ibs caused by fibromyalgia so need use of a vehicle to quickly get to toilet facilities if needed and not be stuck on a bus or public street.
Finally get an appointment with you GP before your assessment and lay it on thick that you're very depressed and suffering great anxiety and plead for some antidepressants so you can give the assessor the name of the drugs. If you're not on any antidepressants they assume you're not really anxious or depressed because your gp doesn't give you medication.
Basically right now you want to say you can hardly walk and even when you're in bed you are in horrific pain and you have to have someone help you bathe help make food for you because you cant hold a pan or even press down on a knife or lift the kettle and you forget to eat so need someone to prompt you and ask if you want food. I would say right now you're not interested in food as the thought makes you sick and that you just don't really want to carry on anymore.
Let's face it there will be times that you will be in pain or feel down or anxious or be running the loo or not want to get out of bed or not eat or have brain fog eyesight problems rashes back pain cant be bothered etc etc so don't let the the assessor use that you don't get these problems all the time to deny your claim. They shouldn't cherry pick the good days from the bad so makes sure you say everyday is bad and just when you think it couldn't get any worse you have the worst day so far.
Fibromyalgia is an invisible disease symptoms can come and go. Sometimes some symptoms can stick around for quite a while and some are just for a few hours but also some seem to be constant. Only you know how it affects you so play on your worst days with the assessor but make it 20% worse than your worst experience at least!!
Hi, You have some good advice there Lee, but only if what you say to the assessor is true.
Certainly give answers on your worse day, but only if they are true. The assessors can sniff out when you are lying. They also probably use Social Media.
GP. 😊😊
A good thing I don't use social media lolI will be truthful the worst thing I could do is lie and then be caught out, I'm too much of a whimp!
ive not left my house or bed for years so i should of got points for mobility but they just got back to me and said standard for daily living and 0 for mobility 😠
Thank you for the advice 😊
Hi I had a telephone appointment which went over time, should have been an hour but was a lot longer. Very nice person that I spoke to and she just asked me same questions which were on the form. You'll be ok.
Hi, please don’t listen to LeeMc. It’s this behaviour that gets us genuine claims turned down. So frustrating!
I had my telephone assessment. I would recommend telling the truth about your worst day. Even if it’s very embarrassing, (toilet problems). My telephone appointment was 1/2 hour late. So my anxiety was through the roof! I explained I was anxious, upset, as I have to time my toilet habits with what I am trying to do, so I don’t have accidents. Anyway, when you get your report back with points you have been awarded go through the report with a fine tooth comb, after me explaining how upset I was and anxious at call being late, and my toilet problems. The assessor wrote “miss ……. Was very happy and friendly on t phone” these total opposites of how I was feeling were put into the report. I was so upset! I wrote a letter appealing all the points she had got wrong and backed it up with my initial (copy) of questionnaire that I had returned. I won my appeal. So please make sure you keep copies of things, and also don’t be afraid to challenge the assessment if they have scored you incorrectly. Good luck x
did you have to go to court? im just putting in for the mandatory reconsideration and im dreading that😣
The 'going to court' part is not what you think. I've been through to appeal and you just have an interview with a doctor and a judge usually, who are not from the Department of Work and Pensions and usually a lot friendlier. It is a lot better than a DWP assessment.
This is the reason why I say dont be giving replies to questions about how you're are feeling on your best or normal days. Your assessor is there to trick you and seem very nice to talk to because they believe if they seem nice and friendly that you will say things like well I dont get pain every day but most days or I can easily make myself a meal standing in the kitchen but then other days I cant even make a cup of tea or I cant drive my car due to pain so I have to get the bus to the doctors etc. They then just use your best days and say well this lady can make food for herself and can easily walk to the bus stop and make plans on a timetable to get to the doctors no problem so obviously has no problem climbing the steps of a bus or sitting on a bus seat for a length of time and clearly has no brain fog issues or doesn't need to be prompted for making plans for journeys or appointments and clearly doesn't have anxiety being able to sit on a bus in the public domain. These assessors are trained to ignore your worst symptoms and focus on your best days and then use the best days as a normal day.
Its not telling lies if you tell an assessor how this invisible disease worst affects you because with a report coming from your doctor saying you complain of all manner of symptoms but then every blood test ct scan mri scan urine sample gastroscopy and xray coming back normal then the assessor will think things are not so bad for you.
In your case you were very lucky to win your appeal and I assume you got the lower rate because if you failed to score points the first time around I cant see you getting high scores on an appeal.
Let me tell you the vast majority of appeals fail and I know several people who suffer with the very worst fibromyalgia and each one is different which I have been told everyones fibro is different to anothers. A few have been awarded lower rate pip and have appealed because they have such horrific symptoms and have then lost their claims altogether by having lost their appeals. Waiting six months for the first assessment is hard enough but being awarded pip and then when you should be expecting a six month back payment only to lodge an appeal and be rejected and lose the six months payment is devastating to someone suffering really bad with fibromyalgia and if you think anxiety and depression is bad waiting for a 30 mins late telephone appointment then consider what its like just wasting 6 to 8 months waiting and then getting nothing and being told your not affected enough to qualify.
If you have fibromyalgia its a horrible nasty INVISABLE disease and even many doctors don't believe its real. These assessors are not doctors either and there have been assessors who have posted on here who have said they have been trained to knock down points so as to try and not make an award when they have genuinely felt sorry for the claimant and have ended up packing in their jobs because they were made to only accept the claimants best days.
I told my assessor I had only driven a car once in the last six months to visit an elderly friend who had just been burgled. I said it was very difficult for me to do but I felt I had to try my best. I had borrowed my mothers car. When the assessors report came back it stated I was able to drive a manual car no problem so couldn't of been in so much pain to operate a motor vehicle using a manual gear stick and steering and I must not of had cognitive issues being able to drive on a public road operating such a vehicle so I had no problems with mobility.
The day I drove the car was from the cul-de-sac I live in to the next cul-de-sac down the road, a one minute drive or a 5 minute walk. I couldn't do the 5 minute walk and I could drive a car for mikes either. I cannot even stand in my shower for more than a few minutes so have to get a bath and even then my pensioner father has to lift me to my feet as I can't stand up from having a bath.
I told the assessor about the bath and that i couldnt take a bus because of pain toilet issues and anxiety around the public but i should of told the assessor I couldn't drive a car. The fact I was honest about one day driving 100yrds from one close to the next nearly cost me the points needed for mobility despite being crippled with pain. I only just scored the bare minimum for pip award.
So you have to say that your symptoms are as bad as your worst days because you never know tomorrow and every day after could suddenly be all your worst days from now on or even worse.
Pip assessors are just like insurance assessors they are there to deny your claim or knock it down and they are on performance targets to reduce claims by as much as they can.
These assessors don't have fibromyalgia so couldn't possibly know what hell we go through. Most of us its a daily hell that many others don't believe
HiI noticed that there was a lot of repetition through it(mine was a phonecall) I had made notes to have with me because I am very forgetful 🙄🤣and found this useful
Just tell them how it is and don't let them sway your answers or change them round as I found a single word change made the sentence sound completely different
My award was daily living at low and no mobility
Dont worry yourself and have notes 👍🥰
Also I work and as much as I have reduced my hours and my sick record is appalling and I'm struggling all they heard was I am in employment 🙄🙄
That's what is worrying me too, I have had to reduce my hours as I'm struggling and I'm worried that because I work they just assume I'm fine
I work 24 hrs a week contractually but hadn’t managed to work a full week for a month or so before my interview - I’d used leave allowance to break it up as my sick record was appalling and I explained this. The assessor clearly took this on board.
Incidentally, the day before my interview, I called in sick (genuine cause) so when during my interview the assessor asked ‘are you currently on sick leave and why’ I answered yes and said it was due to a fibro flare. That may have further strengthened my case that I was clearly struggling to stay in work ……..
If you have a copy of what you wrote on your form make sure you have it with you during the call so that you can refer to it. If you haven't, it would be worthwhile to make some notes that you can have in front of you to jog your memory. If you have someone else with you on the call it is useful to get them to make notes during the assessment. I would also make a note of the time of the call and how long it lasted.
I found that the assessor & especially the Decision Maker have had a habit of making assumptions about what you can do. I was marked down because I drive, all sorts of assumptions were then inferred. They seem to imply that if you can do x then you can do y even although there's no real comparison between the actions.
My assessment was face to face and fortunately she could see how bad my mobility was, I'd been left sitting for ages and had seized up, the room she was in was down a long corridor and so she offered me a wheelchair to take me there so there was no argument on the Mobility component.
I had been on High Rate DLA for both components but they marked me down to Standard on Daily Living for PIP mainly due to the assumptions made about me being able to drive. With the help of my local MPs office & a short letter from my GP, I took it to Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) and gained more than enough points to get Enhanced Rate.
Once you've had your assessment wait a few days then call and ask the DWP for a copy of the report. Once you have your report go through it with the finest of toothcombs and look for any discrepancies between what you remember happened and what was said. I had asked that my assessment be recorded and so I had my tape to refer to and that was very useful in making the MR.
I hope your assessment goes well.
Just remember how you used to feel and the struggles you have now as you didn't ask or wish to be having all this poor health.Have a friend to sit with you even if they don't speak, they are there . Be honest ,I was and said how I strive to be active to help my pain but equally and stuck in bed unable to move as often.Ask them to repeat question to help you and remember you are trying to paint the picture forthright of just how hard it is ,you do not ever need to exaggerate as the tough days just need a bit of explanation. Please don't overthink it you are just getting a person to picture what you contend with .
I had mine and ut seems 7f you talk a lot and answer there Questions your ok. It's rudiculous. I have Lupus and Fibromylagia it doesn't affect my speech in ability to talk. I was furious appealed and won. If its a phone consultation it's not so daunting and the person on the phone us so friendly. Don't be worried just be honest about what you can and can't do and it will be ok. If you get refused which seems to be the case of mist people, appeal immediately. Good luck my love x
HiTell them how you are on your worst days even if you feel fine on the day, they will ask how you manage doing ordinarily things like cooking, housework and self care what kind of aids you use and if anyone helps you with these things. They will want to know how far you can walk base this on your bad days. There must be other stuff but I can't remember anything else. Good luck and don't forget empathise what your worst days are like.
Mo
I was crying through mine, report said I seemed happy and not anxious at all. The report said he could hear me moving around on the phonecall (didnt) and I didn't seem out of breath and managed to hold the conversation well. They write whatever they want on these reports, mine was laughable couldn't believe it, it was mostly made up.
Hello, PIP is not awarded on a diagnosis or a disability or illnesses but on your inabilities to preform the PIP descriptors, and activities. Be aware that some questions can and do lead to inconclusive assumptions by the HP. If asked what hobbies you have or do snd you reply knitting and sewing then the HP will then assume that your hands are capable of preparing meals washing and so on. Are you having a telephone or face to face assessment?
Hi, I'd recommend going to YouTube and searching for guides there, since there are some really good ones there. Also, you can find recordings of other people's assessments on there, which I found really helpful.
My assessment mostly covered the form.
But they also asked if anything had
changed since writing it. Also, they asked
me where | was (I was in bed), though of
course if yours is in person that won't be
asked. They also asked me what my
hobbies were, when | last used transport,
when | last left the house, etc. Just more
specific than the form I'd say.
One thing I'd say is important is that you
shouldn't engage with them too much. My
assessor made very strange comments
and out of awkwardness, | half-laughed. It
was then written down that | was "joking
and laughing" with them, entirely able to
understand what they were saying! So be
careful. Remember every part of you is
being assessed. Also remember can ask
for amoment to rest or readjust your
position, etc.
Feel free to message me if you have any
other questions - | had my assessment a
couple weeks back and was successful, so
| know it's possible! I've got my fingers
crossed for you
Also, sorry about the formatting of the text! No idea what happened there
Don't apologise it made it easier for me to read, I like it. Thanks for the advice.What happens if you work daily 🤔
Hm, good question. I'd say focus on the 4 requirements. If they ask about getting dressed, I assume you do that fit your work. But can you do it safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly as often as is reasonably required, and in a reasonable time period (no more than twice as long as it would take a healthy person)?
Perhaps you get dressed in the morning, but it takes you 2 hours, and then in the evening you're too tired to get into pajamas. Or, consider ways you've adapted your clothes. The same with the other components. If you encounter something you can do, make shew to test it against those 4 requirements.
If you work daily, you could use that to emphasise what you can't do. For example, perhaps it drains all your energy and outside of work, you're not able to do anything . If you have a partner, what do they help with?
Technically you can get PIP if you're working - you might just have to phrase some aspects a little differently. If you have notes, don't forget to keep them next to you
hi i would say record it as the dwp have changed rules and you can now record, look it up on Google, good luck and i hope you get it😊
Really, what's the best way to record it?
they say a two way recorder but im not sure it still applies, i downloaded a voice recorder and recorded it that way, atleast if you do that you will have evidence for court bit hopefully you'll get it, i let them know i was recording so they wouldnt fob me off but they have anyway so I'll be taking it to court
I'm pretty sure you're not allowed to use any recording/transcript you male yourself. Mine was assessed by atos (they've renamed themselves, but it's them still), and I had to call in advance to ask for it to be recorded, and they then rescheduled my appointment in order for itntonbe recorded (long story short, they then refused to record it anyway!) I'd still say you should record it, because if you have someone with you, you can use their "recollection" (informed by a secret transcript/recording) at a tribunal. But I don't think you can actually use a recording as evidence unless theyve allowed u to record in advance.
HiGood luck with your appointment. One assessor I had asked me a question and then further down he asked me the same but in a different way!! I had been warned about this so I was ready 😃 if you can please have someone with you. My last assessor was lovely. I got standard on both but my conditions are affecting me much worse now so I phoned up. I had forms to fill in explaining everything. They told me I would either get a date to see them or I would get a letter telling me if my rate has gone up or stayed the same.
Please let us know how you get on . PM me anytime
Take care xxxx♥️🥰
Hi hun, make sure ur in bed and they come to you. Have a small plastic cup of water, no heavy glass n a heat pad plus any walking aids you use nearby. Don’t get out of bed without someone helping you. Take ‘thinking/resting breaks. They’ll knock off as many points as they can. You’ve gotta do what you would do on your worst days. Good luck 🤞
So much advice, I'm so grateful. Definitely taking notes from each and everyone of you 👍🏽😊
Hi I had mine yesterday and I was just like you.I worried myself for days before.All I can tell you is the lady was very nice and patient with me and just be honest.Good luck.
To all.I really don't think any of you are helping the system.
Everyone is different so just your own experiences should be put down.
If your not entitled sorry but no wonder so many are refused, anyone could claim after being given so much information.
This really doesn't help someone who is in real need of help it just puts doubt on all claims.
The system isn't brilliant but we have to trust in it.
Morning, hope you are all well. Thanks again for all the advice given.
I had my assessment yesterday. The lady was lovely and was only on the phone for half an hour before she said she thinks she has all the information she needs to write the report. I told her of all my medication changes since applying and she said she's sure it will trigger something she's just not sure what amount (that wasn't a question I asked, she threw it out there). I'm hoping it went well.
Pip assessment at home
DLA/PIP and ESA Assessments
Pip telephone assessment 
