Updated for 2025 PIP Phone Assessments – based on my recent and past phone assessment experiences.
Do you have a PIP phone assessment coming up? Whether it’s your first time or a renewal, I want to share what really happens, from strange questions to practical tips, based on my own experiences over the years.
If you’d like to know more about my health and disability background, you can read about my bile acid malabsorption journey here and my chronic illness story here, or find me on Instagram if you want to chat – @GeorginaGrogan_
What Is a PIP Phone Assessment?
A PIP phone assessment is part of the process to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP). These replaced face-to-face appointments during the pandemic and have continued as an option ever since. You can request a phone assessment if it’s more accessible for you.
You’ll speak with an independent assessor who’ll ask you questions about your health, mobility, daily life, and how your condition affects you.
For information on PIP please see: Citizen’s Advice – Personal Independent Payment
How To Request a Phone Assessment Instead of In-Person
When DWP contacts you to arrange your assessment, let them know you’d prefer a phone appointment. You may need to explain why it’s better for you, but they are generally open to it. For my last renewal, I simply said that getting to a different city at 8am would be difficult and they offered me a phone assessment.
You can also:
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Request a 3-way call if you need someone to join remotely.
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Have someone physically with you for support and prompts.
What To Expect in a PIP Phone Assessment
Here’s what happened during my first phone assessment:
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My assessor was 30 minutes late. Annoying but seems common.
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Introductions and tone were strange. He explained the process in a really odd way that confused even my mum.
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He asked unexpected questions like:
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“When did you leave school?”
- “Did you go to a normal school?”
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“What did you study?”
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“Did you pass GCSEs?”
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“Do you use your phone to make calls?”
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It threw me off completely, especially because I’ve done the PIP process before: in-person, a Mandatory Reconsideration (follow up questions asked via the phone), and Tribunal. This felt… off.
He also:
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Skipped around the form, starting at the last daily living question.
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Left medication and symptoms until the end, which made it harder to explain things in context.
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Typed loudly the whole way through, genuinely distracting and really put me off, and it wasn’t mentioned in my report. Even though both my mum and I complained about it.
Tips for Your PIP Phone Assessment
Here’s what helped me (and what I wish I’d done differently):
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Print out your notes with each question/page labelled so you can keep up if they jump around.
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Have water nearby and make sure your phone is fully charged.
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Take the call somewhere quiet. Let them know if you need to adjust, stand up, or take a break, and ask them to write it down (because they often don’t!)
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If there’s background noise (like loud typing), mention it and ask them to include it in the report.
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Answer the questions like how you spend the majority of your days, don’t be downplaying your needs out of pride.
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Get support: have someone with you or ask for a 3-way call setup.
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Request your Assessor’s Report 3 days later (ring DWP). It helps you prepare for a Mandatory Reconsideration if needed.
Common Questions Asked During PIP Phone Assessment
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What’s your home setup? (stairs, bathroom, who you live with)
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Who feeds your pets?
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Do you drive? Work? Use public transport?
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What do you do at work?
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Can you use a mobile phone? Make calls? Text? Read emails?
They might seem intrusive or irrelevant but these are all pretty standard now from the PIP assessments I’ve had.
Were The Questions Purposely Confusing?
We all know the PIP system doesn’t want to easily give us points. So I do think this is done on purpose. His tone, the weird order, random education questions, and phrasing definitely felt confusing. Others on Twitter have said the same. It’s worth being aware that you’re not alone if you feel thrown off.
How Long Does a PIP Phone Assessment Last?
Mine lasted just over an hour. Some are shorter, some longer. Make sure you’re comfortable and everything you need is within reach. Let them know if you need to pause, and again, ask them to note it down.
When & How To Request the PIP Assessor’s Report
You can call the DWP around 3 working days after your assessment to ask for the PA4 report (what the assessor writes). Sometimes you’ll get a text when it’s submitted.
This gives you a head start if you need to do a Mandatory Reconsideration, you’ll see exactly how they scored you and what they wrote.
PIP assessments are known to be frustrating, they often downplay or completely dismiss what you’ve shared. If that happens, you’re not alone. It’s always worth fighting. Even when you’re exhausted. I know it’s easier said than done, but they rely on us giving up. That’s exactly why we can’t.
New PIP Phone Assessment Questions
One thing that really stood out this time was how many mobile phone–related questions they asked. Things like:
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Do you use your phone to ring people?
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Do you send texts?
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Do you read and reply to emails?
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Do you look after your phone yourself?
I mean… what young person willingly rings people these days?! I wasn’t expecting these, but after having a scroll through Twitter, it seems these questions are now pretty standard, likely because they can’t comment on your eye contact, whether you’re “well presented”, or whether you turned up “dressed appropriately” (which is as insulting as it sounds).
Tip: If you find it hard to keep up with communication, even if you do use your phone a lot, say so.
If someone else helps you make calls, texts for you, or manages your messages, tell them. That all matters.
Ask for Help – You Don’t Have To Do This Alone
Over 30,000 people have read this post. Please remember:
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This process is emotionally draining
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You may feel dehumanised, especially if your honesty is ignored
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Ask for help: friends, family, Facebook groups, charities
As well as the resources below, I’m always happy to help so feel free to pop me a message.
Here are some useful resources:
If you’ve had a PIP phone assessment, I’d love to hear your experience in the comments, your tips could really help someone else.
