The two stages of a PIP assessment
PIP claims go through two stages. The first is a paper-based review: DWP looks at your PIP2 form (the 'How your disability affects you' questionnaire) and any supporting evidence you've submitted. Some claims are decided at this stage if the evidence clearly supports an award, often for severe or well-evidenced conditions.
Most claims move to the second stage: a consultation with a healthcare professional working for a contracted assessment company. This used to be almost always face-to-face, but telephone and video consultations are now common and are usually offered as options. The assessor works through the PIP activities with you, asking about daily tasks and how your condition affects each one. Their report goes to a DWP decision maker, who makes the final call.
Being at the consultation stage doesn't mean you're in trouble. It's the normal process for most claims, not a sign that evidence was lacking. Having additional evidence to provide at this point, or having submitted strong evidence beforehand, makes a real difference to the outcome.
What the assessor actually looks at
PIP has ten daily living activities and two mobility activities. For daily living, these cover preparing food, eating and drinking, managing treatments, washing and bathing, managing toilet needs, dressing and undressing, communicating verbally, reading and understanding written information, engaging with other people face to face, and making budgeting decisions. For mobility, the activities are planning and following a journey, and moving around.
Within each activity, there's a list of descriptors, descriptions of what someone can and can't do at different levels of difficulty. The assessor picks the descriptor that best matches your situation. Points are assigned based on the descriptor level, and the total in each component determines whether you score standard rate (8 points), enhanced rate (12 points) or nothing below 8.
The assessor doesn't just take your word for it, but that doesn't mean they're looking to catch you out. They're trying to build an accurate picture. If you tell them you struggle with something, expect follow-up questions about how often, what happens when you try, whether you need aids or someone else's help.
Describing your worst day and the reliability tests
One of the most important things to understand is that the PIP assessment is not about your best day. It's about whether you can do an activity reliably, safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly throughout the day, and within a reasonable time. If you can do something but only unsafely, only once, only slowly or with significant pain, that can justify a higher-scoring descriptor.
Before your assessment, think about a bad day, not an exceptional crisis day, but a typical bad day. How often do those bad days happen? What can't you do on those days? Many conditions fluctuate, and assessors should take fluctuation into account. If a symptom affects you for more than 50% of days, it should inform the assessment.
Don't downplay or minimise. This is genuinely difficult for some people who are used to managing and not complaining, but the PIP form and assessment are specifically designed to capture the full impact. Being precise and honest about what you can't do, or can only do with help or with pain, is not exaggerating, it's the point of the process.
Evidence, the scoring system, and what happens after
Good evidence makes a big difference. Useful sources include GP letters that describe functional impact (not just the diagnosis), letters from consultants or specialists, occupational therapy reports, care plans, physio notes, prescription records and a personal diary. The diary doesn't need to be elaborate, a few weeks of notes about what you couldn't do and why is often more persuasive than a generic letter.
The scoring threshold is 8 points in a component for standard rate and 12 points for enhanced rate. Points from different activities in the same component add up, you don't need 8 or 12 points from a single activity. Daily living and mobility are scored entirely separately, so you can get enhanced daily living and nothing for mobility, or standard mobility and nothing for daily living.
If the decision is wrong or lower than expected, mandatory reconsideration is the first step, you have one month to request it. If that doesn't change the outcome, you can appeal to an independent tribunal. Success rates at tribunal are substantial, particularly where additional evidence is provided. A refused or reduced award is not the end of the process.