Which is better?Face 2 Face or Hand In Documents?

For what its worth I observe that the trend is to abolish general Face 2 Face
Take A Ticket and wait methods for local Claimants.Probably due to austerity
I know of one that's gone recently.
The alternative is a pre booked appointment or Hand in Documents.
Which is better do you think?
Face 2 Face pre booked you get all the body language etc
But some folks tend to disregard the written word more.
Its more distant.
Watch out Atos once you've done their dirty work of booting off 100,000s you are next for the sack!

Oh Generally I was thinking of Job Centres,Local Councils,ATOS Appointment Centres and the like in connection with Claims.

Face to Face appointments/assessments do not give the assessor a true picture of the person they are assessing.
A paper or more favoured telephone assessment in some cases, can give a completely different, untrue and dangerous picture.
Some people are not able to describe how they are, how they manage etc.

A Face to Face I think gives the best overall picture. I have recently had a F 2 F for a PIP assessment, I would not have been able to clearly describe how I was on that day, it was by far the best day for me to be assessed.
I worry far too much about people with borderline dementia, for example, being asked on the phone to say how they are, scary!!

Face to Face appointments/assessments do not give the assessor a true picture of the person they are assessing.
A paper or more favoured telephone assessment in some cases, can give a completely different, untrue and dangerous picture.
Some people are not able to describe how they are, how they manage etc.

A Face to Face I think gives the best overall picture. I have recently had a F 2 F for a PIP assessment, I would not have been able to clearly describe how I was on that day, it was by far the best day for me to be assessed.
I worry far too much about people with borderline dementia, for example, being asked on the phone to say how they are, scary!!

Hi RR,

In general, I agree that F2F gives the best overall picture, pretty much like opting for an oral appeal rather than a paper hearing, where the Tribunal reaches a decision on the case papers alone, rather than the appellant attending an appeal and explaining to the Tribunal their care and/or mobility needs.

However, in many cases, both ATOS and Capita are now using nurses, physiotherapists and occupational therapists etc rather than qualified doctors. As I'm now 73 years of age the benefits I receive are pretty safe. I'm on full State Pension, Occupational Pension & DLA HRM & HRC due to MS, COPD and chronic arthritis.

Whilst I would be happy for a Physiotherapist to assess me for arthritic problems, I don't believe that neurological conditions such as MS, MND, ME/CFS, or diseases like diabetes or heart conditions can be assessed by anyone other than a qualified doctor of medicine, preferably a doctor with experience of these conditions.

Thank you for your valid contributions to this thread.

Good luck

Jim