It is important to understand that more than one of these time frames for fluctuation may apply to an individual claimant. The aim of this measure is to reduce the impact of repeat assessments on claimants and on APs where a decision can be made by a DWP CM. These kinds of professionals ensure that those requiring help and assistance from the Government are able to get it and play a key role in the health system. However it is important to balance informal observations with evidence from professionals who may have observed the claimant more regularly. Before attending your PIP assessment, there are several things you should consider to help you prepare. In addition, young people may have limited experience undertaking many activities unsupervised in an independent environment. 1.6.7 Throughout consultations, the HP should: use clear language that the claimant will readily understand, for sighted claimants, during face to face assessments, body language should be positive for example, sitting to face the claimant, maintaining good eye contact, nodding to indicate understanding of what is being said and leaning forward towards the claimant from time to time, when recording information on any computer systems, the HP should ensure that they look up frequently from the screen and maintain eye contact, for blind and partially sighted claimants, the HP should explain what they are doing at each stage of the assessment. 1.6.55 However, the involvement of companions should be handled appropriately by the HP. The HP should note in the report that they have explained the procedure to the claimant and obtained their consent to proceed. You should explain the following: These general PIP assessment tips will also help you: We recommend that you record the audio for your face-to-face PIP assessment. Mind's Director of External Relations, Sophie Corlett says: The AP then conducts the assessment, gathering any further evidence necessary before providing an assessment report to DWP. To get the PIP, one has to fill out a form. Where the HPs opinion differs from other opinions on file for example in further medical evidence or a previous HPs advice then a full explanation of the reasons for the difference of opinion should be given. When pain is a significant symptom we would expect the claimant to be able to describe the location, type, severity and variability of the pain they experience and the impact it has on their daily life. You can learn more about autism in affected people by buying this book here. This companion can be someone who can assist and care for you such as your friend or family member. The Optimistminds editorial team is made up of psychologists, psychiatrists and mental health professionals. HPs will be required to advise on whether the claimant satisfies the SREL provisions (see below), and provide advice with appropriate justification to the DWP. This is to ensure the safety and privacy of staff and other claimants. On rare occasions, it may not be possible to contact the GP or other relevant clinician to obtain advice. 1.1.7 If the claimant questionnaire is not returned and the claimant has been identified as having a mental or cognitive impairment, the claim will be referred directly to the AP for assessment. As mentioned before, the PIP assessment with questions on mental health will be focusing on how your mental health condition may be impacting your life. 20 April 2020 at 1:28PM in Disability money matters. Ask if you can make an audio recording of the assessment. HPs will not liaise directly with CMs, but will liaise with DWP service assurance managers (SAMs) where the CMs have queries, for example: seeking additional advice either based on current advice or because further evidence has been submitted. This may result in, a request to consider the evidence or acquire further evidence. The information gathered forms part of the suite of evidence and should be included in the assessment report provided to the DWP and referenced in their advice. Where can I get support for my mental health? When returning the form, you must include all tickets and receipts. 1.8.5 Before selecting a descriptor, the HP must consider whether the claimant can reliably complete the activity in the manner described in the descriptor, taking into account whether they can do so: 1.8.6 The HP must also take into account that most health conditions or impairments can fluctuate over time. Under normal circumstances the HP would make copies of the original evidence and hand the originals back to the claimant. someone goes out with you. Make a list of points you would like to make during your assessment and take this with you. Any relevant side effects which affect the claimants functionality should be recorded here and an indication of the effectiveness of any treatment provided. How are gambling and mental health conditions linked? 1.7.33 Occasionally, the HP will encounter a case where the contents of the DS1500 reveal that the author has completely misunderstood its purpose; for example, where there is no implication that the claimant is suffering from a terminal illness. In the case of sensitive/special information, the claimant must be fully aware of the nature and content of the information being processed. I am worried about the cost-of-living crisis, Requesting adjustments to the PIP assessment, Planning your journey to the PIP assessment, How to claim travel expenses for your PIP assessment. 1.10.6 The following are illustrative examples of review periods which may be appropriate: 12 month review The claimant has a combination of physical and mental health conditions causing significant functional limitation. There may be some activities that have been done for them all of their lives and that a young person without a health condition or impairment of the same age may do themselves. You will be required to talk about how your condition affects you despite detailing it in your PIP form. The advice given by the HP on prognosis will help the CM decide on the type of award. 1.6.35 HPs must also take into consideration the invisible nature of some symptoms such as fatigue and pain which may be less easy to identify and explore through observation of the claimant. He was awarded the daily living and mobility components, both at the standard rate. 1.2.2 The key elements of the HPs role in PIP are to: consider information in the claimant questionnaire and any supporting evidence provided along with it, determine whether a claim can be assessed on the basis of a paper review and provide appropriate advice, determine whether any additional evidence needs to be gathered from health or other professionals supporting the claimant. 1.15.29 Further information relating to the claim may be required and, due to the tight timescales involved in processing such claims, contact with the claimants own health professionals may be required. For example, if carrying out housework or walking outside would mean the claimant was unable to do anything else that day, this should be properly explored and recorded. 1.13.6 Requests for supplementary advice may be made to APs by telephone and/or through the PIPCS and/or the PIPAT, depending on the nature of the request. These kinds of psychological disorders are referred to as such since they can make a person impaired and dysfunctional in his or her important areas in life. 1.12.4 During the gathering of initial claim information, claimants who are identified as requiring additional support from DWP will have an additional support (AS) marker attached to their case on PIPCS. The PA5 should also be used where additional information does not change the original advice. You may be asked to provide medical evidence as to why you cant attend the assessment centre. Using the information available to them, HPs will need to consider the most appropriate approach to completing the assessment for these claimants, be that paper based review or consultation. The professional will then send it to DWP to check if you are eligible for the benefits. where the HP considers the claimant has a level of functional impairment that they will likely improve to the point where there is little or no functional limitation present, for example after treatment, surgery or medication. The entitlement threshold for each component is 8 points for the standard rate and 12 points for the enhanced rate. The PIP claim form is a "'How your disability affects you" form that you are required to fill when applying for Personal Independence Payment (PIP). 1.7.23 Every effort should be made to provide advice in SREL cases. 1.7.29 Any DS1500s received direct by APs should not be considered. 1.8.7 For a scoring descriptor to apply, the claimants health condition or impairment must affect their ability to complete the activity on more than 50 per cent of days in the 12 month period. structure and follow a path to a location you know and it doesnt concern much on how you get there, structure and follow a bus or train path to a place you dont know, Deal with places that you dont recognize, if necessary, leave the house due to stress or anxiety, you need help and assistance but dont receive it, your stress, anxiety or other mental health concern make it hard for you to go out, you find it difficult to deal with sudden changes to travel, for instance, roadworks or diversions, you only try travelling during quiet periods of the day, for instance, when the shops arent busy or theres less traffic on the road, someone assists or encourages you to go out, your mental health concern makes using a bus or train challenging, you cant structure a path to an unfamiliar location yourself, you find it hard to deal with sudden changes to a trip, for instance, bus diversions, train cancellations. 1.9.1 Entitlement to PIP is dependent on the functional effects of a health condition or impairment having been determined as likely to have been present at the required level for at least 3 months and being expected to last for at least a further 9 months. Can I claim Welfare Benefits if Im living with a mental illness? 1.7.6 The DS1500 is the preferred medical evidence for a DWP SREL claim. 1.8.2 Copies of all the forms are provided separately. you can't plan a route to an unfamiliar place yourself. 1.11.2 The AR1 will be returned to the DWP by the claimant and, where possible, a proportion of planned award reviews will be completed by DWP CMs, who will compare the new information against the evidence from the previous assessment. 1.7.2 Claimants who identify themselves as nearing the end of life on the initial claim form can seek to claim PIP under the Special Rules for End of Life (SREL). The damning report conducted by the Public. DLA claimants aged under 16 and those who were aged 65 or over on 8 April 2013 will not be affected. 1 comment 100% Upvoted Log in or sign up to leave a comment The HP may be asked for advice on further evidence from the claimant and may request further evidence before providing advice to the DWP. Once diabetic control was maintained his mental health condition improved so he was not entitled to either component. Firstly, we should start by assessing what evidence we can provide to the assessor and Decision Maker at the initial claim stage to assist them in making the correct decision. Her condition improved with treatment but 6 months later she re-claimed benefit because of depression and paranoia. The appointment set for you is usually in a span of 7 days away. 1.6.19 Where the claimants current medication is accurately recorded in either the claimant questionnaire or in supporting evidence, the HP may reference where it is recorded instead of reproducing this information in the assessment report. Have you read something you think others need to know? You will be declared capable of doing something if you can do it: If you have better and worse days, make sure you explain this to the assessor. Mosque De Sannois est situ 11 Rue des Frres Kegels, 95110 Sannois, France, S'il vous plat contacter Mosque De Sannois en utilisant les informations ci-dessous: Adresse, numro de tlphone, fax, code postal, adresse du site Web, e-mail, Facebook. At a telephone assessment, consent should be captured verbally on the recording. Hi Zoe, I had my PIP telephone call last July and I have only just won my case. 1.6.26 For some conditions different time periods will need to be considered, such as the potential impact of different times of the day. If the claimant attends on their own then the assessment can go ahead if the claimant has capacity. I am worried about the cost-of-living crisis. 1.8.4 For each activity area, the HP should use evidence to choose one descriptor which best reflects the claimant's ability to carry out an activity, taking into account whether they need to use aids or appliances and whether they need help from another person or an assistance dog. The psychological examination will be asking your thoughts and feelings about your present concern. They should also provide advice on the mobility component based on the evidence received with the referral and/or gathered at the consultation. The HP should do this by using open-ended questions and not just by asking a series of closed questions. 1.15.6 For consent to be explicit it must be affirmed in a clear statement. The PIP assessment with questions on mental health is a great opportunity for you to talk about how your mental health condition affects you. In these cases, the CM is likely to make a fixed term award of benefit. They should not move the claimants limbs. They can nominate someone else to accompany the claimant. Make any notes of changes to your condition, Make notes of anything you feel you want to say, which you havent put on your form. 1.9.2 The CM also needs advice to help inform decisions on when claims should be reviewed, taking into account issues such as the likely progression of the condition and whether it is likely to improve, stay the same or worsen. 1.5.2 In some cases there may be sufficient information to advise on the majority of activities, but which leaves small gaps that it has not been possible to fill through obtaining further evidence or by contacting the claimant. A home environment may also provide either an ideal, good or a very poor environment for testing functional ability, for example, depending on the level of background noise. 1.3.1 This section describes how to carry out the assessment. 1.6.15 The HP must document the symptoms and history of the condition as described by the claimant. Consultations should predominantly be between the HP and the claimant. However, it should be noted that the named appointee, be this a corporate or individual appointee, can nominate another person to represent them at any consultation. HPs may be able to observe relevant aspects of the claimant's appearance for example how well kempt they are and whether they look under or over weight, during face to face consultation. If the information is available, the CM will transcribe the decision and any justification, word for word, into the medical evidence screen of the PIPCS. 1.7.19 If no DS1500/BASRiS has been provided and there is no additional medical evidence, a telephone call to the relevant clinician will always be required. The Department for Works and Pensions (DWP) temporarily suspended Personal Independence Payment (PIP) face-to-face assessments in March and a decision on whether to extend that measure is expected . It's important you prepare - the DWP will use evidence from the assessment to decide if you can get PIP. 1.7.21 The HP must ensure that the claimant has given consent for the person they phone to share information. 1.7.7 Where a BASRiS form has been provided, DWP should treat it as other medical evidence and refer the claim to the AP for review in all cases. Prepare adequately with our free PIP assessment tips guide. Ask for the assessor to be the same gender as you. The horror stories are, if anything, even worse than they were in May of this year. This is very important if you are assessed on a better day. Report: Once your PIP assessment with questions on mental health has finished, these health professionals will make a report discussing which PIP descriptors apply to you and elaborate on their reasoning. If capacity has been lost then the expectation is that the claimant would be accompanied. By contrast most people with mental health problems we talked to expected and assumed their GP would be contacted after including their details on the PIP1 form. The DWP and HPs will be expected to verify that this is the case. Claimants should be invited to clarify any points and ask any questions they have about the assessment procedure, and asked whether there is anything else they would like to include. It is not the HPs opinion of what the claimant should be able to do. The assessment considers the overall impact of a claimant's. 1.10.9 The HP should select the No box if they consider it likely that the claimants health condition is likely to improve or that they will adapt to the point that there will be no or a very low level of functional restriction for example, someone with osteoarthritis of the hip who is expected to have a hip replacement in the next few months where a full recovery is likely in a relatively short period of time. In addition, the guidance is not a stand-alone document, and should form only a part of the training and written documentation that HPs receive from APs. 1.6.59 At a face to face assessment, the claimant must sign a consent form in which they agree to not use the audio recording for unlawful purposes. This free money management tool is specifically for people on Universal Credit. 1.13.5 Where consideration of supplementary advice results in the HP changing their previous advice to the DWP, this should be clearly flagged. For example, is the level of functional impairment claimed in one activity compatible with that claimed in another? There is unlikely to be any change in functioning in the shorter term, but with time, maturity and learning his functional ability is likely to change so a review in 5 years would be appropriate.. 1.7.12 Consultations are not required where a claim has been referred under the SREL provisions. If the PA3 requires a response to the mobility questions at activities 11 and 12, the HP should select A (zero points) and type the comment N/A Exportability Case. It is intended to supplement the contract documents agreed with APs as part of the commercial process, providing guidance for health professionals (HPs) carrying out assessment activity and for those responsible for putting in place and delivering processes to ensure the quality of assessments. 1.1.9 If the claimant is unhappy with the decision on their award, they have the right of reconsideration and, if a claimant disagrees with the reconsideration, they have the right to appeal to His Majestys Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS). The position with PIP is different; the law says that you don't even have to have a medical diagnosis. 1.4.17 The DWP currently pays for 2 specific forms of evidence: factual reports from GPs and GP- and consultant-completed DS1500s. That said, the HP should make every effort to obtain evidence in order to conduct a paper-based review in these circumstances. It should be recorded in the third person, and should make it clear that this is the claimant's story. 1.15.13 Attending a consultation does not mean that the claimant has given consent to a physical examination. Helping you understand, manage & improve your mental health and money issues. For each medication record the frequency, dosage and purpose (where known) in full. Safely: Can you do the activity without causing danger to yourself or someone else? A health professional will carry out your assessment - they'll write a report and send it to the DWP. If you cant attend your appointment, you must contact the private assessment provider who sent you the letter immediately their contact number will be in your letter. Report: Once your assessment has concluded, they will produce a report explaining which PIP descriptors apply to you and explain their reasoning. 9 weeks from the point of referral to the Assessment Provider to a decision being made on the claim. There is an expectation that this will remove or reduce the need for claimants to record consultations. How do I ask for a Mandatory Reconsideration? In such cases, where the available information is consistent, the HP should consider whether they can use their own expert clinical knowledge of the condition(s), its severity and known impact in other areas to determine, on the balance of probabilities, the likely impact in the remaining areas. 1.9.6 If there is more than one relevant functional condition, the prognosis should take account of the effects of all conditions and the added impairment resulting from any interactions that may occur. The illness that qualifies for PIP is the illness that is considered to be a long-term condition and this kind of condition should need regular support for needs and some may be limited in mobility. They may also show discrepancies between the reported need and the actual needs of the claimant. This document has been produced by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to provide guidance for assessment providers (APs) carrying out assessments for Personal Independence Payment (PIP). 1.6.51 If the claimant is uncooperative during a consultation, the HP may terminate the consultation where they have gathered sufficient evidence to complete the assessment report and provide advice for the CM. Do they need help to carry it out or are they completely unable to do it and need someone else to do it for them? This means that entitlement to the benefit is not dependent on a persons financial status or on whether they have paid National Insurance contributions. 1.15.9 Depending on how it is worded, consent may only cover a particular stage in the processing of a claim, and thus fresh consent may need to be sought. Am I eligible for Employment & Support Allowance (ESA)? The Health Professional will have reviewed your PIP form, along with any supporting evidence you provided before your assessment. The HP should consider whether it would be more appropriate to complete clerical form PA2 or the relevant screens in the PIPAT where in their opinion the claimant meets the Special Rules criteria. When considering such requests, the HP should consider the points outlined above before making a decision on whether a home consultation would be appropriate. Charities like Citizens Advice and Scope can look over a draft for you, or they can help you write the entire form. She is under the mental health team who are treating her with combination therapy, including several medications and psychological therapy. Informal observations are of importance to the consultation, as they can reveal abilities and limitations not mentioned in the claimant questionnaire, supporting evidence or during the history taking for the consultation. 142 replies 83.7K views . In this brief blog, we will be talking about PIP assessment questions on mental health, what the PIP assessment is for, the procedure of the PIP assessment, and more information about PIP assessment questions on mental health. There are various sources of further evidence, including, but not limited to: a report from other health professionals involved in the claimants care such as a community psychiatric nurse (CPN), a report from a local authority-funded clinic, evidence from any other professional involved in supporting the claimant, such as social workers, key workers or care co-ordinators, telephone conversations with any such professionals, information from a disabled young persons school or special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO). If you plan to travel by car, you can claim back the cost of parking and a price per mile (e.g. 1.7.30 If evidence that a claimant meets the Special Rules criteria is uncovered following receipt of the claimant questionnaire or additional evidence in a non-SREL claim, then advice should be given to the DWP that the claimant fulfils the criteria for SREL and the case should then be treated as an SREL referral. this is a walk through of what happened in my recent telephone pip ( personal independent payment) assessment review and what questions been asked and how . 1.6.11 When considering inconsistencies, HPs should bear in mind that some claimants may have no insight into their condition, for example claimants with cognitive or developmental impairments. Only 7% of those surveyed said their GP has been contacted, with a further 35% saying they were unsure. The consent process above should be followed. 1.15.25 Occasionally a HP may be asked to provide evidence that consent is held in the form of the claimants signature before the information is forthcoming. Replied by BIS on topic Mental Health and PIP phone assessment. 1.6.31 Informal observations are part of the suite of evidence used by CMs to help them determine entitlement to benefit. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge . He requires significant support from his carer and his needs are only likely to increase due to the progressive nature of his condition.. Cognitive disorders (Types, Symptoms & Treatment Options) . SREL referrals must be completed and returned to the DWP within 2 working days. 1.8.10 It is essential that the CM is made aware of the evidence the HP has used to complete the assessment report. If you suffer from a mental health condition such as depression or anxiety, it's possible to be eligible forPIP, but it's very much dependent on how the mental illness affects you. 1.10.8 Selecting the Yes box will indicate that the claimants functional restriction is likely to still be present at the recommended point of review, regardless of whether it is likely to improve, remain the same or deteriorate. 1.6.24 Evidence gathered in the functional history is an important part of the assessment process as it should provide the CM with a clear picture of the claimants day-to-day life. 1.15.18 A consultation cannot go ahead if the appointee or their representative does not accompany the claimant. In a reasonable and attainable time: Does it take you a lot more amount of time to do the activity than it would take most people. When advising on descriptors and justifying advice, the HP should consider the functional effects of the claimants health on the majority of days. PIP telephone assessment questions was created by drummer53 I have a telephone assessment tomorrow and I've been through all the guides but can find anything about what to expect in a telephone assessment, like what questions they ask or how they trip you up. In the case of an appeal, the claimant, his/her representative and members of the tribunal will see a copy of the report. What you have difficulty with, or cant do at all - for example, leaving the house, socialising, cooking. We use some essential cookies to make this website work. How are mental health and money worries linked? This new document has been designed to focus on the information to be checked at the award review stage and to determine whether there have been any relevant changes in the claimants condition(s) or needs across all descriptors since their current PIP award began. 1.6.42 Clinical findings from a musculoskeletal examination should be recorded in plain English, for example able to place hands at the back of the head, able to reach above the head to help the CM understand the details of the examination. 1.15.22 Proof of consent given by claimants need not be routinely sent by APs when requesting further evidence. I first applied for pip back in 2016 and was awarded a paper based award . Can I cancel something I've done when I'm unwell? 1.6.67 Young people may attend a consultation with a parent or guardian. The invite letter must go to the deputy who will arrange for the claimant to attend. PIP can be paid to those who are in full or part-time work as well as those out of work. Qwom I dont want to put a dampener on things but unless your depression & anxiety majorly affect your daily living i doubt you will score enough points to meet the standard rate. 1.6.71 If the claimant declines to give consent for the HP to contact their GP, the HP should make a judgement as to whether the situation is sufficiently serious that it warrants breaking confidentiality by telling the GP even without the claimant's consent. 1.6.5 Before starting the consultation, the HP should read the claimant questionnaire and all other evidence on file. 1.6.41 Some examinations for example, of the lower limbs might be carried out with the claimant reclining on an examination couch. 1.15.21 If the claimant has a deputy then that means they have lost capacity. 1.3.8 APs should seek additional evidence from professionals involved in supporting claimants where HPs feel that would help inform their advice. We explain the following PIP tips: When you receive your PIP assessment appointment letter, you can check with your assessment provider that your assessment centre has everything you require to make you feel more comfortable.