Just been denied PIP two days after my phone interview

HonestMizz

So this was my first time applying for PIP. I did this in July and on Monday, September 8th, 2025, I had my PIP phone interview at 11am. The interview lasted an hour and it went okay I thought.

I was particularly encouraged when the female assessor said any money due to me will be backdated and I will have a review in two years time but it's only for 15 minutes. That made me feel positive about the income. I was told I could wait up to 6 months for the decision so I said okay, bye, and put the phone down. Then 15 minutes later at 12.15pm I got a text to say the DWP had my report. I thought wow, that assessor was working quick. If that wasn't staggering enough, two days later at 7.40am I got a letter from the DWP in the post saying that I had been denied PIP, and I didn't get any points. I was lost for words. I Googled this exceedinly fast result and I couldn't find one person who had got a decision in two days. One day actually because the letter was posted on Tuesday September 9th, 2025.

Your thoughts please. Thanks.

TELLIT01

Appeal the decision.  There should be information on the letter explaining what you need to do.

Muttleythefrog

Just quickly "I was particularly encouraged when the female assessor said any money due to me will be backdated and I will have a review in two years time but it's only for 15 minute" - this sounds very unusual advice and out with what they should be saying. They do not determine when PIP is awarded or for how long.. and they do not determine the detail of any future review in terms of spec... the fact you have been denied PIP means there may not be any review of any spec at any time ever again... so how she can know even how long it would last and the format of it and when is laughable.. was she called Mystic Mog? It's all very odd but we have heard assessors try to be 'helpful' and in this case their advice is confusing because you only get reviewed if you get an award.. so why does she think you would get an award... does her advice (assessment report) conflict with the DWP decision which usually tends to rely on it but not always. This is a possibility or otherwise they misled you which is unforgiveable. (Was this assessment recorded?)

People reporting good experiences of assessments often find the outcome somewhat different - assessors can play good cop bad cop tactics and it is very common for people to report a pleasant assessor only to find their report anything but disastrous. In contrast some very difficult assessments often lead to findings of severe disablement.

In terms of timeline the assessor's report is electronically sent to DWP I understand and so can take less than an hour.... DWP decisions can be done quickly thereafter and particularly if involving refusal of award.

Call DWP PIP helpline and ask for a copy of the assessor's report (PA4 document I believe) to be sent to you - it may take a week or so to get to you due to slow admin and 3rd class post or the like but you need to be armed with the evidence and I am concerned here there seems some contradiction between what the assessor has said to you that they should not have... and the DWP decision you have received in letter. 
Then as above when you have that report (and the decision letter already received) probably a Reconsideration request will be required. They'll take another decision. You can then appeal to independent tribunal (where success rates are typically good including for those scored zero points by DWP) if you dislike the new DWP decision which in most cases tends to be the same as original.

At all times focus on the descriptor that you think applies to you in the relevant 12 activities of PIP. Supporting evidence helps... explain your difficulties clearly, any assistance or aids you rely on or need, and remember the reliability criteria (If you get dressed but it takes 2 hours that clearly is not in reasonable time so you cannot perform the task).

The CAB website is good for PIP guidance. Contact them perhaps though if you feel you need help with challenging the decision but watch the timeline for asking for reconsideration.

Any developments or other questions I'm sure people will be interested to hear/advise on.

Brie

Definitely get citizens advice to help you with the PIP appeal.  They will know how to word things so that it is both accurate and in the language that the PIP people understand.  That said they may too fail and need to help on a further appeal.  Don't be discouraged or give up if it's just down to someone being excessively bureaucratic.  

TELLIT01

Muttleythefrog said:

Just quickly "I was particularly encouraged when the female assessor said any money due to me will be backdated and I will have a review in two years time but it's only for 15 minute" - this sounds very unusual advice and out with what they should be saying. 

The assessor has said nothing out of place.  It is a fact that any money due would be backdated.  She did not say the PIP claim was successful, nor did she imply it.  The OP may have interpreted the comment to mean she would be paid.

Grey_Critic

Is it not standard practice for any payments to be backdated to date of any application? - I would assume that the assessor was simply confirming that to you when explaining it could take up to SIX months for a decision

Robbie64

It's a very quick decision though. It would be interesting to find out what the assessor has written on the PA4 assessment report. It sounds as if the Case Manager at the DWP made a decision almost as soon as the PA4 report was electronically received, given how quickly the decision letter was generated.

Spoonie_Turtle

TELLIT01 said:

Muttleythefrog said:

Just quickly "I was particularly encouraged when the female assessor said any money due to me will be backdated and I will have a review in two years time but it's only for 15 minute" - this sounds very unusual advice and out with what they should be saying. 

The assessor has said nothing out of place.  It is a fact that any money due would be backdated.  She did not say the PIP claim was successful, nor did she imply it.  The OP may have interpreted the comment to mean she would be paid.

But telling the OP there would be a review in two years' time certainly implies there would be an award.

Muttleythefrog

TELLIT01 said:

Muttleythefrog said:

Just quickly "I was particularly encouraged when the female assessor said any money due to me will be backdated and I will have a review in two years time but it's only for 15 minute" - this sounds very unusual advice and out with what they should be saying. 

The assessor has said nothing out of place.  It is a fact that any money due would be backdated.  She did not say the PIP claim was successful, nor did she imply it.  The OP may have interpreted the comment to mean she would be paid.

The assessor should not be advising on the actions of the DWP... they cannot possibly know about any future review details so specifying them would be complete guessing. If they did specify details of a future review it implies they were recommending some award and expecting DWP to follow that advice. This sounds all completely outside of what their responsibilities are (and we've had examples before including providing medical treatment advice or commenting on treatments) but it is possible of course some things have been lost in translation hence my query as to whether it was recorded.

1.6.49 No opinion on entitlement to benefit should be given by the HP. Claimants who ask should be reminded that it is for the DWP to decide entitlement. HPs should not comment upon, or offer advice to claimants about, any aspect of the claimant’s medical care. The report and all other evidence available will be used by the CM who will contact the claimant in due course. 
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6749dedd75bb645366b3a269/pip-assessment-guide-part-one-the-assessment-process.pdf

The PA4 may make for interesting reading and there is also the small possibility the decision letter is an error - even I've had a decision letter sent in error with the wrong outcome in my last review reconsideration request.

Robbie64

Muttleythefrog said:

TELLIT01 said:

Muttleythefrog said:

Just quickly "I was particularly encouraged when the female assessor said any money due to me will be backdated and I will have a review in two years time but it's only for 15 minute" - this sounds very unusual advice and out with what they should be saying. 

The assessor has said nothing out of place.  It is a fact that any money due would be backdated.  She did not say the PIP claim was successful, nor did she imply it.  The OP may have interpreted the comment to mean she would be paid.

The assessor should not be advising on the actions of the DWP... they cannot possibly know about any future review details so specifying them would be complete guessing. If they did specify details of a future review it implies they were recommending some award and expecting DWP to follow that advice - they could not for example give a prognosis for review unless they were indicating sufficient points for an award and yet they apparently stated when that review would be. This sounds all completely outside of what their responsibilities are (and we've had examples before including providing medical treatment advice or commenting on treatments) but it is possible of course some things have been lost in translation hence my query as to whether it was recorded.

1.6.49 No opinion on entitlement to benefit should be given by the HP. Claimants who ask should be reminded that it is for the DWP to decide entitlement. HPs should not comment upon, or offer advice to claimants about, any aspect of the claimant’s medical care. The report and all other evidence available will be used by the CM who will contact the claimant in due course. 
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6749dedd75bb645366b3a269/pip-assessment-guide-part-one-the-assessment-process.pdf

The PA4 may make for interesting reading and there is also the small possibility the decision letter is an error - even I've had a decision letter sent in error with the wrong outcome in my last review reconsideration request.

BiB: the PA4 actually asks the assessor the following "Based on the claimant's likely future circumstances, it would be appropriate to review the claim in" and the assessor then has to enter a time scale in Years and Months and also provide a justification for the review period chosen. This would apply even in circumstances where it is apparent that the assessor has chosen descriptors which wouldn't lead to enough points to be be scored for an award to be put in payment (the assessor isn't supposed to view the various descriptor choices as being equal to points). It's basically there to guide the Case Manager in case the CM does award enough points for an award to be made. The assessor isn't able to choose "no review period" as an option as this would involve the assessor having to make a decsion on benefit entitlement, which the assessor isn't able to do. Of course, if no award is made then no review period will actually be set by the CM. I'm assuming in the case of the OP, the assessor chose a review period of 2 years and conveyed this to the OP (which the assessor should not have done).

Muttleythefrog

Robbie64 said:

Muttleythefrog said:

TELLIT01 said:

Muttleythefrog said:

Just quickly "I was particularly encouraged when the female assessor said any money due to me will be backdated and I will have a review in two years time but it's only for 15 minute" - this sounds very unusual advice and out with what they should be saying. 

The assessor has said nothing out of place.  It is a fact that any money due would be backdated.  She did not say the PIP claim was successful, nor did she imply it.  The OP may have interpreted the comment to mean she would be paid.

The assessor should not be advising on the actions of the DWP... they cannot possibly know about any future review details so specifying them would be complete guessing. If they did specify details of a future review it implies they were recommending some award and expecting DWP to follow that advice - they could not for example give a prognosis for review unless they were indicating sufficient points for an award and yet they apparently stated when that review would be. This sounds all completely outside of what their responsibilities are (and we've had examples before including providing medical treatment advice or commenting on treatments) but it is possible of course some things have been lost in translation hence my query as to whether it was recorded.

1.6.49 No opinion on entitlement to benefit should be given by the HP. Claimants who ask should be reminded that it is for the DWP to decide entitlement. HPs should not comment upon, or offer advice to claimants about, any aspect of the claimant’s medical care. The report and all other evidence available will be used by the CM who will contact the claimant in due course. 
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6749dedd75bb645366b3a269/pip-assessment-guide-part-one-the-assessment-process.pdf

The PA4 may make for interesting reading and there is also the small possibility the decision letter is an error - even I've had a decision letter sent in error with the wrong outcome in my last review reconsideration request.

BiB: the PA4 actually asks the assessor the following "Based on the claimant's likely future circumstances, it would be appropriate to review the claim in" and the assessor then has to enter a time scale in Years and Months and also provide a justification for the review period chosen. This would apply even in circumstances where it is apparent that the assessor has chosen descriptors which wouldn't lead to enough points to be be scored for an award to be put in payment (the assessor isn't supposed to view the various descriptor choices as being equal to points). It's basically there to guide the Case Manager in case the CM does award enough points for an award to be made. The assessor isn't able to choose "no review period" as an option as this would involve the assessor having to make a decsion on benefit entitlement, which the assessor isn't able to do. Of course, if no award is made then no review period will actually be set by the CM. I'm assuming in the case of the OP, the assessor chose a review period of 2 years and conveyed this to the OP (which the assessor should not have done).

Ah yes I stand corrected.. they would give a review period. Of course then the DWP normally add a year on for any award made.