A government minister has committed themselves to ‘urgently investigating’ alleged assessment tricks used by PIP and WCA assessors after they were raised by MPs at a meeting of the work and pensions committee last week.  We’re asking if you have had a similar experience?

Chloe Smith, minister for disabled people gave the undertaking to investigate after Dr Ben Spencer gave three examples of “covert assessment” raised by claimants at public meetings he had attended.

The first involved missing water cups, Spencer explained:

“One was there was water available at the assessment centre, the water cooler did not have any cups, but one down the corridor did. It was deliberate that the water cooler was broken or cups were not available to see if a person was able to walk beyond the first water cooler to get some water.”

“Another one was that lifts were broken deliberately, seemingly to assess that people were able to use the stairs.”

The third suspected ruse was a pen drop:

 “One person described the assessor dropping a pen in front of them—I think it was a pen or something like that—to see if the person would pick it up as part of a covert assessment effectively of their mobility.”

Spencer asked the minister “Would you commit to urgently investigating this to confirm whether this is indeed an accurate reflection of practices that are going on at the assessments?”

Smith responded:  “Yes, and if I may add on the example of the lift, I am also keen that all of our facilities are properly accessible. It would be unacceptable to have a deliberately broken lift so, yes, we will look into those.”

Of course, all of these may be perfectly innocent.  It may be that the nearest water cooler ran out of cups first, that the lift really was broken and that the assessor genuinely dropped their pen.

The real proof that these were dirty tricks is if they were used in assessment reports where the claimant was supposedly caught out by them.

But anything connected with the DWP is treated with such suspicion by many claimants that innocent explanations are the least likely to be accepted.

Other issues raised by MPS included what was described as the widespread practice whereby  claimants with a “severe visual impairment have to read letters off a chart at their assessment? Do you think that is acceptable? Do you think it builds trust?”

Another complaint was the lack of specialist knowledge displayed by some assessors.  One complaint received by MPS was that:

“The assessment was completed by a nurse that had never heard of my condition. She said she Googled it 5 minutes before seeing me. You cannot understand a complex condition with a 5 min

Google.”

Have you experienced something that you thought was a dirty trick or particularly bad practice at an assessment.  Let us know in the comments below.

You can watch the full committee hearing or read the transcript here.

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  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    mica · 1 years ago
    I had two "incidents" at my P.I.P. assessment.  When I first went in to register at the desk, the clerk informed me the interview room would be on the first floor and asked if I was OK with that.  It was only after I had told her NO, she informed me that there was a lift.  Secondly, at the end of the assessment, the assessor asked me with a smiling face if I was doing anything else nice for the rest of the day.  I replied that I was going back home and straight back to bed!  Make of those two incidents what you will
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    john · 1 years ago
    nowadays you dont use those ancient weighing machines, the ones where you slide at the top but atos do. 

    beware the very loose foot plate, luckyly the wall stopped a fall. 
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    Linda · 1 years ago
    My assessor gave a detailed report on my musculoskeletal examination but she never actually did one ... I lost the mobility part of my PIP 
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    macy · 1 years ago
    the dwp tell them to do it.
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    Sandra · 1 years ago
    Must comment on dirty tricks. This is my 1st ever comment. 
     A life long friend of mine who is a very caring occupational therapist once worked as an assessor and was shown the dirty tricks as part of her training. 
     She warned me of 1 where they ask for your ID,firstly trying to get you to stretch over the table to hand ID over, then when giving it back just dropping ID on table close to them so you have to stretch again. 
      She advised me to ask the person with me to hand it to them and to also ask them to pick it up off table and pass it to me. Basically advised to sit with handbag on knee with hands on it as they watch you bending to put on and off floor. 
     My friend is so sensitive and got sick of people that should be awarded benefits not getting them and then people who clearly shouldn’t be getting benefits but knew how to play the system being awarded benefits. She found this so upsetting and playing on her mind that she left the job. 

      Thanks for your time everyone. Hope this helps just 1 genuine claimant. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      denby · 1 years ago
      @Sandra Oh goodness. Was wary of eg the 'how did you get here' stuff for daughter but fancy that, I messed up the tricks without even realising what they were up to, by passing the out of reach water to daughter and passing passport to and from. Woohoo!
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    Steveyboy · 1 years ago
    Let's not forget camera in the car park and waiting room, corridors measured to length, nearest toilet having no toilet paper or not working, high coat pegs, inference from showing mobile phone, picking up plastic cup of water and using tissue from box for tears. To name but a few !
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    DAD · 1 years ago
    Going back a few years now, i arrived at an assessment and was met by the security guard who said he had to park my car around the back, i was being watched through one way mirrored glass as he hurried me out of the vehicle.  The car park was right next to the waiting room which would of been easier for me.  They certainly don't care how much pain/stress they put you through so all ways be on your guard YOU ARE BEING WATCHED from arrival right through to your exit of the grounds.
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    tx1 · 1 years ago
    I was left waiting a hour and ten minutes after the time of my assessment my wife had to go to the reception and ask what was going on regarding my assessment  and in the waiting room was cctv the assessor turned up five minutes after my wife had asked about the delay her assessment  was so wrong she told us  that she had only just qualified as a nurse I didn't qualify for any benefits regarding her assessment I appealed against her assessment.
    I then received a phone call from the DWP  and told them that I had been left for a hour and ten minutes in the waiting at rest and to check their cctv my benefits were reinstated after the phone call but they did reduce my mobility component.
    I have just had to reply with a new application for P.I.P dreading it again.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Meconopsis · 1 years ago
    No toilets in the assessment centre. Claimants were asked to take a "ticket" from reception to give them permission to use the ones in the Job Centre next door which was quite a long walk. I can't think that this was done for any other reason than to see if the claimant could manage it. Since most claimants were having to wait for over an hour and a half quite a few of them needed to do this.  I wondered if this was legal since some of the claimants possibly needed to be near a toilet.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Colin · 1 years ago
    I discovered recently that my water company will cut water rates by 50% for customers with health issues that require the use of extra water for washing, laundry etc., for example those with incontinence issues. Mine have dropped from £79 monthly to  £31. It's worth enquiring. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      L McC · 1 years ago
      @Colin Our water company also has a scheme like this, but they require a letter from your GP.
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    Jax · 1 years ago
    I have encountered the dropping the pen trick. I just looked at it on the floor. 

    The how long can you concentrate or sit. I said 10 to 15 minutes. Then the assessor said did you watch xyz film the other night it was really good. .. thus suggesting I could sit for an hour or more. 


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    Gary · 1 years ago
    i spoke with an assessor at capita then found out that someone else wrote the report up, who ive never spoken to or seen, stating things like i can touch my forehead, something ive not been able to do for over 20 years,  she also stated i can not cook or pre pare food and my son does it, yet gave no points for food prep and cooking, nothing i said during the call was there, and she refered to my emphysema as shortness of breath, the assessment does not even look like it is about me, DWP have medical evidence from the hospital and doctors but this was clearly not looked at, yet again every 4 years it gets reviewed stopped than foes to appeal and reinstated 2-3 days before the actual appeal date. its inhumane and unethical what they do to people with a confirmed terminal illness then 4 years later do exactly the same thing, i cant cook, wash or dress myself properly as they stopped carers allowance so no carer,  yet they say they looked at all the evidence not the fact ive had (care component)pip for last 15 years and mobility last 4 years, but now my disabled arm has healed, sleep apnea has gone and my emphysema has been cured and my lungs have regrown,
     i wonder if rejected over 80% is an actual target set for them.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    A giles · 1 years ago
    It’s pretty obvious to anyone with any sense that to go from 0 points at the DWP assessment and then being awarded a major point increase at any appeal something is wrong with the way things are handled 
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    red · 1 years ago
    i had a bag which contained only my medication.in the assessors report it stated'i was carrying a large shoulder bag with no problem. i am still looking for the heavy items in the bag! dirty or what?
    carry your medications in a small bag. these people are either so bored doing their work or just plain nasty,what happened to their oath, do no harm?
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Da · 1 years ago
     I parked up and my time was running out after waiting 2hrs to be seen, I asked could anyone go and move my car or put more money in the meter otherwise it would be. £60 fine “unfortunately not” so I had to go and do it my self with great difficulty and stress and pain.
    The report came back and said I waked from the car park to the centre repeatedly.
    I complained and the decision was upheld with an apology.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Sharon · 1 years ago
    When I went for my very first assessment they said I had to prove how much I could move do told me to walk from chair then climb on the bed then proceeded to get me to lift legs arms ect which I struggled with plus I was totally out of breath due to COPD and emphasima along with various seriousl disabilities
    During this time I fainted twice but refused to stop the excersise as didn't want them saying I hadn't tried
    When I received my award letter they didn't even mention that I had passed out twice or that I struggled with anything hence I believe I was only awarded standard rate for daily living and mobility she even waited still I opened the door
    " For Her "
    While using 2 walking Absolute nightmare so I've been afraid to ask for another assessment as my health had gotten a lot worse in 2 years and housebound now
    Jeez I'm only 56 and uptill 3 years ago I worked 350 hours a month for 35 years they just don't care well maybe some do actually care can't paint them all with the same brush

  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Julie Davis · 1 years ago
    My last assessment at a centre was horrendous, I had to walk down a long corridor which took me 10 minutes because I couldn’t go any faster , I was asked to do certain things but I told assessor I couldn’t do them , I always ask for a home assessment now but assessors don’t know what they’re doing half the time and record totally different words to those I have said .  I always ask for a copy of the assessment , go through it and correct their errors then copy it and return it to DWP  , my welfare officer filled in my last form and I wasn’t even asked to go for assessment .  You have  to be one step ahead all the time . I am about to contact DWP about car tax and blue badge as my next assessment has been put back from January 23 to October. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Joanna J · 1 years ago
    I have had a client report that the Assessor advised them that although they were under investigation for an invisible disability, it was to be discounted in the assessment process, because the client did not have an official diagnosis.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Elaine Henty · 1 years ago
    In the assessment room the chair for me to sit on had no arms and was really low.  It was placed next to a desk.

    when I had to get up I had to get hold of the desk so I could get off the chair.

    the assessor failed  me on grip issues saying I had no problem with my hands as I moved  the desk towards me whilst trying to get up from the chair.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Blue. · 1 years ago
    My wife and I have had 2 assessments each at Deva City assessment centre in Manchester. All 4 times at reception (2-3 years apart) they've said that the lifts are out of order 'today' and the downstairs rooms are unavailable, can you manage the stairs? 
    Unfortunately you know full well that if you said no, they'd record that as a refusal of assessment. It took me a fair while with the assessor huffing and checking his watch to struggle up those steps. It's despicable, underhanded and cruel (And exactly what we expect from thus government).
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      AKGR · 1 years ago
      @Blue. Oh my that is apauling what they put you through... How disgusting and inhumain towards disability! It's discrimination... I had to walk with a stick, I had a crutch from the hospital but my twins bought me a red one and decorated it with giraffes as I love them... I went along for my face to face assessment and I was denied for having my own crutch and it said I just bought for the effect.. Then it said I walked to my car with my crutch which was at the front and not in the car park as I didn't know the area very well and didn't know there was a car park.. I couldn't sit properly due to a large prolapse and the assessor put that I could sit perfectly fine 😡
      My next one was through pandemic as a telephone Consultation and I got what I was rightly deserved...
      I feel for you with your ordeal... I hope you got there in the end x
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