PIP

Paul wrote: Hi Gordon,

Can the PIP assessor insist I answer all the questions when they visit me, my CPN will be with me and would like to put forward my case

There are several issues here which I will try and address

As a starting point, which I am sure is not what you intend but I feel obliged to make you aware of, failing to participate in the interview can lead to it being terminated early and the DWP may as a result close your claim.

The assessor will address their questions to you and will expect you to answer them (see below), if there are physical or mental health issues that would prevent you or limit you from answering these questions then you should make them aware of this from the outset, for example you could prepare a short note explaining your difficulties. It should then be acceptable for your CPN to provide answers on your behalf, either by you communicating through them or by their independently answering the question, in the case of the latter it will help if they also explain how they are able to answer the question with authority.

If you can answer the questions but on occasion believe that your CPN can provide a more detailed answer then the assessor should allow the CPN to comment, for example if you have a limitation; you may be able to explain what the limitation is but not be able to fully explain why you have it, the input of your CPN may help to clarify it.

Finally, your CPN may be aware of limitations that you are not aware of or that you have reconciled yourself to, but which are still of relevance to the assessment, as an example, I've lived with my illnesses for some 15 years, I try to see things in a positive light as much as possible and therefore tend to consider the things that I can do rather than those I can't, as a result I sometimes depreciate those things I cannot do, which is the opposite of what you should do in an assessment.

As a general comment, if you have no serious problems communicating with the assessor then they will be looking to you to make the majority of answers, they are required to accept comments from your CPN but I would advise that these are minimal except where it is important that they speak. Have a word with your CPN before the assessment to see if they could make a short closing statement towards the end of the interview, if you do go with this option then make the assessor aware that they will be doing this, so that they do not have the opportunity to say that they have already finished the interview.

Best of luck

Gordon