help and tips with pip interview

[martindarren]

help and tips with pip's interview

[Dinkie]

Is it a face to face or telephone as advice will differ.

[martindarren in reply to Dinkie]

it's by telephone I got the form filled in by a local advise centre and just like to know what to expect.

[CM1EDSUK in reply to martindarren]

Hi - If you have kept a copy of your initial claim form, have a read through it beforehand.

 - Ideally you should have given 1 or 2 recent, detailed examples of the difficulty you face doing/attempting each applicable activity/descriptor that is looked at with PIP, i.e. when exactly did this occur, where, what exactly happened, why did you have difficulty, did anyone else see this, & were there any consequences to this, such as fatigue, increased pain, etc. if applicable?

 - have a look at the PIP descriptors in the following link, reading the notes at the end. The word 'reliably,' which is so important, isn't mentioned as such, but it's if you can't do an activity safely, to an acceptable standard, if you can't repeat it as often as would normally be expected, or if it takes you longer than a person without your disability. If you can't do an activity 'reliably,' say so, explaining why. Please see: cambridgeshire.gov.uk/asset...

 - see if there were any gaps where you didn't give those important detailed examples for each applicable PIP activities/descriptors in your initial claim form. Try to include these in your assessment if asked about any

 - remember PIP is how you are the majority of days

- if you're unsure about any question, just ask for it to be repeated. Take your time in answering, & don't just answer yes or no.

- make sure your phone is fully charged, & if you'd like someone there to support you, put your phone on speaker phone so they can listen in. Good luck.

[Dinkie in reply to martindarren]

Firstly get all the paperwork together. Highlight anything you feel you did not make clear or would want to elaborate on. Have a drink nearby too, it's thirsty work! When the assessor asks questions do not allow them to railroad you. If you need them to repeat, ask them to, don't just try and remember or guess what they said. If they interrupt you, ask them politely to allow you to finish. If you need to stop and change position or move around, stop them and say so. Don't suffer in silence.

Try not to use the phase on good days as they will assume you regularly have days where everything is hunkydory. On days where the pain is less severe.....

Assessors can get bogged down on one question and will re-phrase it time and time again - be prepared for that one, and they will keep coming back to it. One assessor I heard of was obsessed with claimants car being a manual one and kept on asking questions about changing gear and getting lost in roadworks.

Try and relax but don't let your guard down - they are not your friend.

After the consultation ask for a copy of the report.

[martindarren in reply to Dinkie]

👍thanks I just can't get my head round the whole process it's like a different language to me

[martindarren]

👍thanks

[Jan1964]

you can ask for the interview to be recorded. You can request this when you answer the phone and they will do that for you. You get an text/email with a pass number the next day and you can listen to the recording to check the details, and keep the recording incase you need to appeal.

Be honest through out as if you exaggerate then it's obvious which puts all your replies in question. Remember the GP will have sent a report too, and the assessor will always be a nurse, doctor, paramedic etc so know the probable reality of your condition.

its a good idea to have all your paperwork to hand so you can quote things too. Having a companion who sees your struggles is a good idea too.

if your anxious, tell them. They will try to reassure you. If it's too stressful then tell them and ask for another appointment when you can have help.

Good luck and just be yourself.