Video assessment or phone- PIP

[Orangesandlemons77]

PIP have offered a video assessment for my PIP review but I have asked to change to a phone call- wondering if should have left it

Would a video assessment be better perhaps? Any thoughts welcome. My gut reaction is it would be more stressful but on the other hand maybe it would be better in that they can see you more.

Hi,

I work for the PIP service. I think VA and TA can both be better than each other in ways. It depends on what your conditions are - can you list the general gist of them and I can advise better?

Mainly mental health (PTSD) and chronic fatigue

Regretting changing now but unsure of can change back, don't want to mess it around. I guess a phone call will be easier though, I find video calls stressful.

Thanks, any advice welcome!

I did a video call and it was awful. I also suffer with mental health and this was just an anxiety attack from start to end. Stick with a phone call x

Thanks- yes I think I will. Sorry to hear that x

Sorry I just saw the replies above. Sounds like you would be better with a TA. The video assessment is god if you have a physical restriction that can be shown on camera, but I’d go for a call in your case.

Send your evidence in, don’t rely on the DWP contacting your GP/consultants. Record it if you can (tell them though, and they’ll also record it and send you a copy). Don’t exaggerate, but also don’t play it down. Be prepared to be asked about suicide.

Why would I ask them to record it please? can't I trust them to write it down accurately?

Also I don't really understand the impact of talking about suicide on the PIP descriptors? thanks by the way

If you try to change it, good luck getting through!!! Seriously, it is incredibly difficult to contact them as everyone has to phone in. You can be on hold for an hour then cut off. Nightmare.

It's Serco and I managed to get through to them OK the other day but the PIP line itself takes ages.

I'm feeling increasingly anxious about this now, in the past I have had them try to trick me by doing things like pretending they were 'lost' on the way to my house and ringing and asking for directions- (I think this was to show I could 'plan and follow a journey?) the thing about getting them to record it has worried me. I don't trust them (and sorry to the PIP assessor but some of them can be like that)

Hello could I ask anyone who’s previously applied for pip a question?
iv been really struggling with work I own my own little cafe and absolutely love it!
im finding it increasingly difficult to work like i used to full pelt im in to much pain and im honestly exhausted.

iv cut my shifts down a bit which means im paying additional staffing costs so financially Iv taken a massive hit.
i applied and filled in the form honestly and seeing everything written down has really brought home to me how bad things have gotten.
my worry is though that obviously i do work so thee may think i dont need any help
will it have been in vain do they award to folk still managing to work

Maybe the PIP person can comment but I think it boils down to not contradicting yourself so for example claiming for anxiety and being unable to speak to others while working in e.g. customer service, or something physical when you're on your feet all day for example.

You could do the video call, say you're uncomfortable and turn it off, to save the hassle of changing the appt?

They may need a video call to see you actually are, so will work in your favour.

Better than having to physically go in, which may be next request.

For some reason they've asked for this so best to go along with it.

You don't have do anything extra then a phone call, it's just talking on view.

Best of luck, please don't worry about it. Xxx

Because they can make a 'mistake' which could result in you bring turned down. Tell them you want it recorded before the assessment itself, and double check this when they call on the day. You can also record it yourself, but you must tell them you are doing so. If they refuse to allow a recording, you can make a formal complaint to the assessment provider.

Remember to explain how these conditions affect your daily life, it's not just that you have them. Does the chronic fatigue mean for example that you are unable to leave the house to do your shopping? Or are you too exhausted to do the gardening, so someone else has to do it? Does your anxiety mean that you need someone to drive you or accompany you to the doctor? Think holistically about how they affect your life

I had a TA for PIP assessment and it was brutal (and totally misrepresented in notes). An in person/VA would have been better because they could have seen the impact the appointment was having on me. (Head on table, eyes closed, really struggling - they tried to claim I was alert throughout the appointment!!) I also suffer from CFS ME and they really didn't get it......
Have someone with you and either you or them terminate the call if it becomes too much. (I stupidly kept going for an hour and a half - I'd lost any sense of time, so really had no idea until I crashed afterwards.

In my experience when I asked for a copy of the report lots of information given was not wrote down or completely fabricated.Always be ready to dispute what they have wrote if it is not correct.I provided lots of medical proof but it is based on how they perceive what you have told them and they decide in their opinion if you can/cannot do certain things.

Ask for a copy of the assessment, soon after you have it. Then you can see with your own eyes if they have taken account of what you told them.

Hi there,

I work for a charity supporting people with learning difficulties/disabilities and autism. I would always try to have an in-person assessment if possible. If not possible than video would be better. I'd also record the assessment, in case anything untrue is said by the assessor.
If you are not successful, get support to appeal.
Good luck!

I've already called them and asked for a change to a phone call and they said yes, not sure if I can change back to a video call now.

Thanks for the advice though.

Sorry to hear that, this is what I worry about. Did you get it in the end?

Not being able to do the gardening is not something that would be considered.

Hi, I ended up getting my PIP through a tribunal hearing. Am now applying for an adjustment as my condition is so much worse.
I would recommend the recording as there were so many misrepresentations from their assessment.
Good luck

Glad you got there in the end, I might have to do the same, I have already had to appeal twice in the past (got it changed before the hearing last time)