You may have questions about the telephone consultation process. Here are a selection of some commonly asked questions and answers to help you. Simply click on a question to see the answer.
If you have provided a mobile phone number, you will be called on that. If you have not provided a mobile number, we will call you on the landline number you have provided.
The number we will call you on will be included in your appointment letter.
The call will come from an 0808 or withheld number.
Our disability assessor will try to call you up to three times over a 20-minute period. If you do not answer, we will return your claim to the DfC.
If the phone signal is not very good, we will ask you for an alternative contact number. If there is no alternative available, the disability assessor will need to rearrange the appointment and you may have a different type of consultation.
Yes, we encourage you to have someone with you during the consultation. This could be a friend, family member, carer or support worker. They should not speak for you, but they can help you to answer any questions or explain the difficulties you face more clearly. If your companion cannot be with you in person, we can add them to the telephone call.
If your companion will be translating or interpreting for you, they must be over 18.
You will be asked security questions over the telephone before the consultation starts.
If you are a British/Irish Sign Language user, your telephone consultation will take place using our video relay service. The service is free to use, and the interpreters are fully qualified and registered.
For more information about what you will need and how to join your consultation, click here.
Your consultation will be carried out by one of our disability assessors. All our disability assessors are fully qualified and registered nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists or paramedics.
If you have any concerns that the disability assessor is not who they say they are, please abandon the call and contact us.
Yes, the disability assessor will have seen your ‘How your disability affects you’ form and any supporting information you sent in as part of your claim.
If you have additional evidence that you have not already submitted, please discuss this with the disability assessor. They will ask you to send this to the DfC after your consultation.
Our disability assessors come from a variety of backgrounds and are specially trained in carrying out functional consultations. They are there to assess how your health condition or disability affects you and they have knowledge of a wide range of health conditions and disabilities.
Yes, the disability assessor will ask you questions to understand whether your condition changes and how this impacts you.
If you would like your telephone consultation to be audio recorded, please let the assessor know at the start of your appointment.
The recording will not be used by DfC to make a decision on your PIP claim. However, the recording may be used to assist with complaints resolution and/or any appeal proceedings.
If you have asked us to record your consultation, after your appointment you will receive a link to your recording by text message or email and a separate one containing your one-time password. The password will expire within 24 hours and can only be used once to access and download your recording. This is to protect you and the information you provided at your appointment.
If you would rather have a CD copy of your recording, you can request this by calling the Department for Communities on 0800 587 0932.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to generate a new password. The password you were provided following your consultation expires within 24 hours to protect you and the information you provided at your appointment.
A CD copy of the recording can be requested by calling the Department for Communities on 0800 587 0932.
Capita will store a copy of the recording securely for 14 months. After this, the recording will be sent to the DfC.
To withdraw consent after your consultation, please contact the Department for Communities on 0800 587 0932.