SCOPE’s alternative PIP assessment
SCOPE’s alternative PIP assessment
SCOPE’s is putting forward an assessment for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) which takes account of the social, practical and environmental barriers disabled people face.
01/11/2011
The assessment is contained within the recently published ‘The future of PIP: the social model based approach’ report, it provides an alternative to the crude assessment, proposed by the government.
The assessment would be co-produced with the claimant and take the form of a conversation. SCOPE believes the person-centred planning approach adopted for forming support plans used in Personal Budget and Direct Payments has valuable lessons for the design of the PIP assessment.
Scope’s assessment has 5 stages:
- Initial preparation stage – submission of evidence, possibility of seeking advocacy support, from a professional or friends or relatives.
- A more multidimensional assessment that places greater emphasis on the social model of disability: Assessment of the social, practical and environmental factors that prevent an individual from leading an independent life. The assessment would combine both a points-based, scoring approach and a semi-structured interview.
- Indicative decision stage – claimant informed of decision and is able to provide more evidence if they disagree with the proposed decision.
- Final decision by a DWP decision maker. Should the applicant wish to challenge the decision, they can appeal.
- The production of a Local Support Plan, which would capture the evidence and information brought up over the course of the assessment process, helping to highlight where barriers and needs in the individual’s life tend to arise.
Read the full report at: www.scope.org.uk/campaigns/publications/future-pip
