Recording of Face to Face assessment.

Hi everyone,

I have an urgent proplem that has come up regarding my face to face appointment.

Not only did I send a letter requesting a face to face appointment be recorded, with my pip2 online form, but I also sent one seperatly in the post as well.

Today I recived my PIP assessment appointment letter, 2 days before my F2F appointment, on thursday 09 May, but I was texed previously regarding this date, wich is just as well.

I called the assessment customer service number on the letter, to conform I had requested my F2F be recorded, And was told "We cannot Record F2F appointments."

As I know this not to be true, I stated that I had sent a letter requesting it,

The person I spoke to then said yes I can see you recoding request it is attaced to your PIP 2 Form, But the DWP have not told us that you wanted it recorded, so we cannot do it.

She then calmly said why don't you record it yourself? or she could book another appointment but couldnt say how long that would be.

Given I have already waited for over 8 weeks for this appointment, I said I would not cancel the appoint ment, as arrangements had been made to take me there.

Should I keep the Appointment? or should I re-book it, not knowing where it might be, or how much longer I may have to wait?

Kind regards

Navigator

Dear Navigator,
as Gordon says, your choice.

But personally I would never, ever, have a F2F without a recording. They put these 'oh we didn't know' etc up to try and wriggle out of letting you have the proof you are entitled, repeat, entitled, to .
Back before they introduced their own recording equipment I have lugged two ghetto blaster or piano-key style tape recorders, whole 5-pack of cassettes , extension lead etc in to daughter's and workmate's PIP assessments. never regretted it due to the blatant lies on PA4s despite the recording. So I was able to disprove the PA4s and win the day. Had my own assessment put back a week when they sent the appt text, and I promptly rang to request it be recorded - that was for a phone one.
Best wishes whatever you decide, but don't forget that although insisting on your right to a recording may delay getting an award paid, the money will still be backdated to the date you claimed. And hopefully your transport person will understand the importance of this being recorded. With DWP we are all in it for the long game.

Thanks Gordon,

I'll think I will phone tomorrow as ask them to re-book it, for a recorded assessment, I hope they will allow it, and not send my clalm back to the DWP.

Navigator

Thank you for your replies, here is an update.
I did phone and cancel the appointment, but that din't stop them, still telling me I could do my own recording, and offering me a telephone assessment or an online assessment. Which I politly refused.

But in the next breath the person I was speaking to came up with a new date? And then added I cannot tell you where it is, but it is a telephone assessment. Talk about not listening.
I was told a F2F was not possible because the system had ceashed?
And they were unable to put my request back into Pending.

I stuck to my guns, and they said they would sort it as soon as the system was back up and running.
Guess what? yesterday I got a message on my mobile for a new assessment appointment, not F2F, but by telephone, I could not believe it.
So I had to phone again for the 4th time and say it should be F2F and recorded, once again I got all the other options, but I said no I want a F2F, and now I am back in pending waiting for a new date, which they could not confirm would be recorded or not?

Is it me or are they really trying to aviod recorded F2F appointments?
I was told that once I recieved my new date to call, and request it be recorded, this could go on forever, if I have to keep doing that.....

Kind regards

Navigator