Step-by-Step Guide to a PIP Assessment | Purpl Disabled Discounts

Last reviewed: 24 May 2026
Applies to: England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Written by: Georgina, Founder of Purpl

A PIP assessment is your chance to explain how your disability, long-term health condition, mental health condition or neurodivergence affects your daily life and mobility. It is not a test of your diagnosis, and it is not about whether you look “well” on the day. The assessor looks at how you manage specific activities, whether you need help, whether you can do things safely, how long they take, and whether you can do them most of the time. GOV.UK says Personal Independence Payment, known as PIP, can help with extra living costs if you have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability and difficulty doing everyday tasks or getting around because of it (https://www.gov.uk/pip).

This guide applies to people claiming PIP in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. If you live in Scotland, you usually need to apply for Adult Disability Payment (ADP) instead of PIP, because disability benefits are handled differently there.

At Purpl, we know that preparing for a PIP assessment can feel overwhelming, especially when you are already managing pain, fatigue, anxiety, appointments, caring responsibilities or the extra costs of disability. This guide breaks the process down into clear steps so you can prepare calmly, explain your needs properly, and avoid accidentally underplaying what life is really like.

At a glance

PIP looks at how your condition affects daily living and mobility, not just your diagnosis.
PIP is not means tested, and it can be paid whether you are in or out of work.
Your assessment may be based on paper evidence, or you may have a phone, video or face-to-face consultation.
You can ask for reasonable adjustments, such as communication support, accessibility needs, breaks or a different assessment channel.
Assessment providers can audio record telephone and face-to-face consultations on request, but there is currently no facility for official audio recording of video consultations.
If you disagree with a PIP decision, you can usually ask for a Mandatory Reconsideration before appealing.

Step 1: Understand what the PIP assessment is really looking at
Step 2: Check whether you are in the right benefit system
Step 3: Read your PIP form before the assessment
Step 4: Gather your evidence
Step 5: Prepare examples for each PIP activity
Step 6: Think about good days, bad days and most days
Step 7: Ask for reasonable adjustments and recording
Step 8: Decide whether someone should be with you
Step 9: Prepare for a phone, video or face-to-face assessment
Step 10: What to say during the PIP assessment
Step 11: What to do after the assessment
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about PIP assessments
In summary

Step 1: Understand what the PIP assessment is really looking at

PIP is split into two parts: daily living and mobility. The daily living part looks at everyday activities, while the mobility part looks at planning and following journeys and moving around.

The daily living activities include preparing food, eating and drinking, managing treatments, washing and bathing, using the toilet, dressing and undressing, talking and understanding, reading, mixing with other people and managing money. The mobility activities are planning and following a journey and moving around.

The assessment is not asking, “What condition do you have?” It is asking, “What does that condition stop you doing, what help do you need, and what happens when you try?”

This is why someone with the same diagnosis as you might get a different outcome. PIP is based on the impact of your condition, not the name of the condition alone.

Purpl Tip: Before your assessment, write this sentence at the top of your notes: “PIP is about how my condition affects me, not just what my diagnosis is.”

Step 2: Check whether you are in the right benefit system

This guide is for PIP assessments in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

If you live in Scotland, you usually need to apply for Adult Disability Payment (ADP) instead of PIP. GOV.UK confirms that people living in Scotland need to apply for ADP rather than PIP.

This matters because the application process, assessment style and decision-making framework can be different. If you are in Scotland, do not use this article as your main step-by-step guide. Look for ADP-specific guidance from Social Security Scotland or a Scottish advice organisation.

If you are moving between Scotland and England, Wales or Northern Ireland, get advice because you may need to tell the right benefit office and apply under a different system. Turn2us explains that people moving from England or Wales to Scotland should contact the department that currently pays their PIP and apply for Adult Disability Payment as soon as possible to avoid gaps in payments.

Purpl Insight: PIP and ADP are similar in purpose, but they are not the same process. Checking which system applies to you can save stress, delays and confusion.

Step 3: Read your PIP form before the assessment

Read through the “How your disability affects you” form you sent to the DWP. If you kept a copy, have it with you during the assessment. Citizens Advice recommends taking a copy of your form so you can refer to it and make sure you tell the assessor everything you want them to know.

Look at each answer and ask yourself:

Did I explain what happens on bad days?
Did I say how often this happens?
Did I mention pain, fatigue, distress, risk and recovery time?
Did I explain what help I need from another person?
Did I mention aids, equipment, reminders, prompting or supervision?
Did I include the impact after the activity, not just during it?

You do not need to memorise your form. You can use your notes to stay focused, especially if you struggle with memory, brain fog, anxiety, overwhelm or communication.

Purpl Insight: Many people understate their needs because they are used to coping. The assessment is not the time to minimise things. It is the time to explain what support you actually need.

Step 4: Gather your evidence

Evidence helps show the assessor and the DWP what your life looks like beyond one appointment. GOV.UK’s assessment guide says claimants are encouraged to provide supporting evidence they already have, such as evidence from a health professional or another professional involved in their care or treatment.

Useful evidence could include:

GP, consultant or specialist letters
medication lists
care plans
occupational therapy reports
mental health team letters
physiotherapy notes
hospital letters
social care assessments
letters from support workers, carers, family members or friends
school, college or workplace support plans
appointment letters, treatment records or therapy notes
photos of aids, adaptations or mobility equipment
a short diary showing symptoms, help needed and recovery time

Evidence does not need to be full of medical language. It needs to explain what happens to you in real life.

For example, a short support letter saying “I help them shower three times a week because they are at risk of falling and become exhausted afterwards” may be more useful than a letter that only says “they have fibromyalgia”.

Purpl Tip: Evidence does not have to be complicated. A clear letter from someone who helps you every week can sometimes explain your day-to-day needs better than a short medical letter that only lists your diagnosis.

Step 5: Prepare examples for each PIP activity

The best PIP assessment answers include real examples. Instead of saying, “I struggle with cooking,” explain what happens, how often it happens, and what support you need.

For example:

“I cannot prepare a simple meal safely most days because I forget the hob is on, drop pans due to pain and poor grip, and become too fatigued to finish. My partner supervises me and usually takes over.”

This answer works because it explains:

the activity
the difficulty
the risk
the help needed
how often it happens
the real-life impact

The DWP assessment guide says PIP looks at the overall impact of a claimant’s health condition or impairment on their functional ability, rather than focusing on a particular diagnosis.

Try preparing examples for:

preparing food
eating and drinking
managing medication or treatment
washing and bathing
using the toilet
dressing and undressing
reading and understanding information
communicating
mixing with other people
making budgeting decisions
planning and following journeys
moving around

Purpl Insight: Strong examples make your claim easier to understand. They turn “I struggle” into a clear picture of what happens and why support is needed.

Step 6: Think about good days, bad days and most days

PIP is not based only on your very worst day or your very best day. The DWP assessment guide says the health professional should assess the overall functional effects of your condition over a 12-month period.

Think about:

How many days each week do you struggle?
What happens on a bad day?
What happens on an average day?
What can you do on a good day, but only with consequences later?
Do symptoms fluctuate across the day?
Do you need help at certain times, such as mornings, evenings or after treatment?
How long does recovery take after you try to do something?

Use plain language. For example:

“On around five days a week, I cannot shower without help because I become dizzy and unsafe. On better days I can wash at the sink, but it takes a long time and I need to rest afterwards.”

This is especially important if you have a fluctuating condition, such as ME, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, endometriosis, epilepsy, autism, ADHD, anxiety, depression, long COVID, lupus, Crohn’s, colitis or another condition where symptoms can change day to day.

Purpl Tip: Avoid saying “sometimes” if you can be more specific. Try “four days a week”, “most mornings”, “after any journey” or “for two days after I overdo it.”

Step 7: Ask for reasonable adjustments and recording

You can ask for support that makes the assessment more accessible. This could include adjustments because of pain, fatigue, anxiety, communication needs, sensory needs, mobility needs, neurodivergence, hearing loss, sight loss or cognitive difficulties.

The DWP assessment guide says assessment providers should consider whether reasonable adjustments are needed, such as a BSL interpreter, ground floor consultation room or accessible toilet. It also says claimants can contact the assessment provider before the appointment to request a change of assessment channel or reasonable adjustments, and providers should make every effort to accommodate these requests.

You may be able to ask for:

a phone assessment instead of face to face
a face-to-face assessment if phone or video is not suitable
an accessible assessment centre
extra time
breaks
communication support
a British Sign Language interpreter
the assessor to call someone else first
a companion to be present
your assessment to be officially audio recorded, where available

Can you record a PIP assessment?

You can ask the assessment provider to audio record your assessment, but there is an important restriction.

The official DWP assessment guide says assessment providers can audio record telephone and face-to-face consultations on request. It also says there is currently no facility for audio recording in video consultations, and video recording a consultation is not permitted.

This means if having an official provider recording is vital to you, you should ask for a phone assessment or a face-to-face assessment, rather than a video assessment. Ask for this as early as possible, ideally as soon as you receive your appointment.

You can take notes during the consultation, and the DWP assessment guide says claimants and companions are entitled to take notes for their own purposes. These notes are not an official record, but they can help you remember what happened.

Purpl Tip: If you want the provider to record your assessment, ask in advance and check what type of assessment you have been given. A video assessment cannot currently be officially audio-recorded by the provider.

Step 8: Decide whether someone should be with you

You can usually have someone with you. This could be:

a partner
a parent
a friend
a carer
a support worker
an advocate
someone who helps you manage appointments

The DWP assessment guide says the presence and involvement of any companion should be recorded in the assessment report.

A companion can help you remember things, explain what they see day to day, take notes, and support you emotionally. They should not answer everything for you unless you cannot answer yourself, but they can add important details if you forget or understate something.

Before the assessment, agree:

what you want them to help with
what they should remind you about
whether they should take notes
what examples they have seen
whether they need to explain any risks or support they provide

Purpl Tip: Ask your companion to write down anything important you forget to say, then ask the assessor if you can add it before the assessment ends.

Step 9: Prepare for a phone, video or face-to-face assessment

Your assessment may happen by phone, video or in person. The DWP assessment guide says consultations may be carried out by telephone, video or face to face at an assessment centre, with home consultations only used in exceptional circumstances.

For a phone assessment

Before the call:

charge your phone
keep water, medication and notes nearby
sit somewhere comfortable
tell someone the time of the call if you need support
have your PIP form, evidence and examples with you
ask for breaks if you need them
ask in advance if you want the provider to audio record the call

If you struggle to answer unknown numbers or you find phone calls difficult, contact the assessment provider before the appointment.

For a video assessment

Before the call:

test the link if you can
check your internet connection
make sure your camera and microphone work
keep your notes near you
ask for a phone assessment if video is not accessible
remember that the provider cannot currently officially audio-record video consultations

This last point matters. If you feel you may need a certified or provider-held recording for your own confidence, records or a possible challenge later, ask for phone or face-to-face instead.

For a face-to-face assessment

Before you go:

plan the journey
think about parking, Blue Badge access or public transport
take medication, mobility aids, snacks, water and sensory supports
bring your appointment letter and ID if requested
ask in advance if you want the provider to audio record it
allow recovery time afterwards
note if the journey itself causes pain, fatigue, distress or risk

The journey to the appointment can be relevant if it shows how your condition affects your mobility, planning, anxiety, fatigue or need for support.

Purpl Insight: The journey to a face-to-face assessment can also show how your condition affects you. If getting there causes pain, panic, exhaustion or needs support, say so.

Step 10: What to say during the PIP assessment

During the assessment, answer honestly and fully. Do not just say “yes” or “no” if the real answer is more complicated.

Use this structure:

What happens?
“I cannot stand long enough to cook a meal.”
Why does it happen?
“My pain increases, my legs shake and I become dizzy.”
How often does it happen?
“This happens most days, around five days a week.”
What help do you need?
“My partner prepares meals or supervises me.”
What happens afterwards?
“If I push through, I need to lie down for several hours and cannot do anything else.”

Remember the reliability test. PIP is not just about whether you can do something once. It is about whether you can do it safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly and within a reasonable time.

You should explain if you cannot do something:

safely
to an acceptable standard
repeatedly
within a reasonable time
without pain, distress, risk or serious fatigue
without help, prompting, supervision or aids

For example, if the assessor asks whether you can walk to the shop, do not only say “yes” if the true answer is “yes, but only with a stick, only on a good day, only if someone comes with me, and I need to rest for the rest of the afternoon afterwards.”

Purpl Tip: If the assessor asks, “Can you do that?” and the real answer is “only with pain, help or consequences,” say that. A simple “yes” can hide the support you actually need.

Step 11: What to do after the assessment

After the assessment, write down what you remember while it is fresh. Include:

the date and time
who attended
how long it lasted
key questions asked
anything you struggled to explain
anything you forgot to say
any problems with the assessment
any adjustments you asked for
how you felt afterwards

A health professional writes a report for the DWP, and the DWP decision maker then decides whether you qualify for PIP. The DWP assessment guide says the assessment provider gives DWP a report containing information about the claimant’s circumstances and recommendations on the assessment criteria to support the PIP decision.

When your decision letter arrives, check:

whether you got daily living, mobility or both
whether each part is standard or enhanced
how many points you scored
which activities scored points
where you expected points but did not get them
whether the decision reflects what you said and the evidence you sent

If you disagree with the decision, you can usually ask for a Mandatory Reconsideration. GOV.UK’s assessment guide says if a claimant is unhappy with a PIP decision, they have the right to request a Mandatory Reconsideration before they can appeal to an independent tribunal.

Purpl Insight: Do not judge your whole case by how the assessment felt. Wait for the decision letter, read the points carefully, and get advice quickly if something looks wrong.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about PIP assessments

What is a PIP assessment?

A PIP assessment is part of the Personal Independence Payment claim process. It helps the DWP understand how your disability or health condition affects your daily living and mobility. The DWP assessment guide says PIP looks at the overall impact of your condition or impairment on your functional ability, rather than focusing only on your diagnosis.

Is a PIP assessment a medical examination?

A PIP assessment is not there to diagnose you. It looks at how your condition affects your ability to carry out daily living and mobility activities. The health professional gives advice to DWP, and the DWP decision maker makes the final decision.

Will my PIP assessment be by phone, video or face to face?

It can be by phone, video or face to face. The assessment provider reviews your case and decides whether it can be assessed from paper evidence or whether a consultation is needed by telephone, video or face to face.

Can I choose a phone, video or face-to-face PIP assessment?

You can ask for a different assessment channel or reasonable adjustments, and the assessment provider should make every effort to accommodate requests. This does not mean every request will always be granted, but you should ask as early as possible and explain why the requested format is needed.

Can I have someone with me at my PIP assessment?

Yes, you can usually have someone with you, such as a partner, parent, carer, friend, advocate or support worker. The DWP assessment guide says the presence and involvement of a companion should be recorded in the assessment report.

Can I ask for my PIP assessment to be recorded?

Yes, but it depends on the assessment format. Assessment providers can audio record telephone and face-to-face consultations on request. The DWP assessment guide says there is currently no facility for official audio recording of video consultations, and video recording is not permitted. If an official recording is important to you, ask for a phone or face-to-face assessment instead.

Can I record a video PIP assessment myself?

The DWP assessment guide says a video recording of a consultation is not permitted. It also says there is currently no facility for audio recording in video consultations by the assessment provider. This means you should not rely on a video assessment if you need an official provider recording.

What should I say in a PIP assessment?

Explain how your condition affects each activity, how often it happens, what help you need, whether you can do it safely and repeatedly, and what happens afterwards. Use real examples rather than short answers.

Should I talk about bad days in a PIP assessment?

Yes, but also explain how often they happen. PIP looks at how your condition affects you over time, not just on one unusually good or bad day. The DWP assessment guide says health professionals assess the overall functional effects of your condition over a 12-month period.

What evidence should I send for PIP?

Useful evidence can include medical letters, prescription lists, care plans, support worker letters, occupational therapy reports, mental health team letters and information from people who help you day to day. GOV.UK says claimants are encouraged to provide supporting evidence they already have from health professionals or others involved in their care or treatment.

What if I forget to say something in my PIP assessment?

Write it down afterwards and send it to the DWP as soon as possible. Explain that it is additional information for your claim and include your National Insurance number or claim reference if requested.

What if my PIP assessment decision is wrong?

You can usually ask the DWP to look at the decision again through a Mandatory Reconsideration. The DWP assessment guide says a Mandatory Reconsideration must take place before a claimant can appeal to an independent tribunal.

Can disabled people or people with long-term health conditions claim PIP even if they work?

Yes. PIP is not means tested, and it can be paid to people who are in full-time work, part-time work or out of work.

Do Scottish readers follow this PIP assessment guide?

Not usually. If you live in Scotland, you normally need to apply for Adult Disability Payment instead of PIP. This guide is for PIP in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, so Scottish readers should check ADP-specific guidance.

In summary

Preparing for a PIP assessment is about showing the real impact of your disability or long-term health condition. You do not need perfect wording, but you do need clear examples. Explain what you struggle with, how often it happens, what help you need, whether you can do it safely and repeatedly, and what happens afterwards.

Before the assessment, read your form again, gather evidence, prepare examples, ask for adjustments and decide whether someone should support you. If you want the assessment provider to officially record your consultation, remember that this is available for phone and face-to-face assessments on request, but not currently for video assessments.

If you live in Scotland, check Adult Disability Payment guidance instead, as Scotland uses a different system for new claims.

Above all, do not minimise what life is like. PIP is not about what you can force yourself to do once. It is about what you can do safely, repeatedly, reliably and within a reasonable time.

About the author

Georgina is the Founder of Purpl, a UK savings platform created to help disabled people, people with long-term health conditions, parents and carers reduce the extra costs of daily life. Purpl was built from lived experience and the belief that disabled people deserve fair access to discounts, support and clear information that helps them feel more confident, included and financially supported.