With many thanks to Benefits And Work. A newly updated version of the PIP Assessment Guide suggests that the DWP have abandoned the struggle to prevent claimants openly or secretly audio recording …
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This is very welcomed and not before time and should improve the assessment process.
However, as stated there could still be problems, especially where the assessor is not fully compliant with the guidance and here the claimant should not be penalised and it should be the assessor who should back down and if necessary get further guidance from their supervisor or manager. For an assessor could be aware of the guidance, but be unwilling to allow recordings to be made, so by failing to adhere to the rights of the claimant is disadvantaged.
Also, I see no reason why, now that audio recordings can be made that video recordings are also not allowed. For that would be of greater degree beneficial for the claimants in that not all problems can be discovered by audio recordings.
To not allow implies there is something wrong either with the assessor or the assessment process, which with the degree of appeals being made and the success rate proves that there are. To not allow is an abuse of power by either the DWP or the assessor or both and makes the whole process to be unequal and thereby against the human Rights of the claimants.
The DWP, the Assessors and the assessment process should be fully transparent for all concerned, otherwise it could be deemed to be ‘unfit for purpose’.
Source: DWP Now Allows Claimants To Audio Record PIP Assessments On Their Mobile Phones | Same Difference
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