Home Visit - PIP Assessment

Belle

Nearly all DLA to PIP claimants have a face to face assessment, the fact that you have a home assessment is some recognition of your problems but the two benefits have fundamentally
different criteria which is why so many need to be seen.

Our PIP Claim guide has sections on the assessment and the questions you are likely to be asked.

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/help-for-claimants/pip

The assessor is a visitor in your house and has no more right to look around than anybody else coming to your home, in practice, it is extremely rare for them to ask.

You can ask to see their notes, they may refuse although the DWP guidance says they should allow it but understand that the report is produced in two parts and the bulk of it, including their opinions and recommendations, will only be written once they have left you.

Based on what we see in the forum, good assessors will write good reports and bad ones won't, recording them seems to make little difference. You will need permission in advance, recordings can be made to two "cheap" cassette recorders, you cannot use a digital device such as a phone.

I think it very unlikely that they will cover your brother's expenses but you lose nothing by asking.

Gordon

Belle
Whatever you do, do not assume just because you had DLA indefinite aware for a condition that will worsen that it automatically entitles you to PIP - it just doesn't and the process is different - and many people get upset by that. The amount of medical back up you have also does not guarantee anything. I had a home visit and the assessor did not ask or comment about anything other than how long it took me to get downstairs. I was lucky my assessor was nice and she let my friend speak for me - but that was partially because I had sent in comprehensive information. There is no consistency over what they allow. You're already reading the guides and the sort of questions you may be asked - be warned they can throw in a curve ball and ask something you're not expecting. I was asked what my last job title was - I couldn't actually remember until she'd left!
Wishing you the best with it.