PIP - providing clinical evidence
Unlike assessment for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) which was done as a paper application only, the assessment for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is usually carried out as a face-to-face assessment by a health professional.
As with Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) assessments people often find these processes distressing and the assessments carried out may not be accurate resulting in claimants not being given the benefits for which they are eligible.
Practitioners may be asked to provide supporting evidence for people making a claim for PIP (or appealing against their decision). The provision of accurate and well-focused evidence can be of considerable value in assisting in the assessment process and ensure that people are not denied the benefits for which they are eligible.
To help with this we have created some guidance (pdf) that clinicians may helpful in compiling their reports.
This guidance may be useful for psychiatrists, other mental health practitioners and general practitioners and some examples of reports (pdf).
The assessments for PIP include a points-based system for judging the applicant’s ability to carry out a range of daily living and mobility activities.
Further information on these activities and descriptors are given in Personal Independence Payment Activities and Descriptors Some (PIP) rules and meanings that relate to the Activities and Descriptors (pdf).
This is one of two sets of guidance that we have produced for mental health practitioners providing reports for people applying for Social Security benefits (the other is for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)) and we would like to receive any comments or suggestions to improve it. We would appreciate any helpful feedback from practitioners and others.