Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, by what date all personal independence payment applicants will have the automatic choice of having their assessment audio-recorded.

The option for a claimant to request an audio recording of their Personal Independence Payment (PIP) telephone assessment is available with both assessment providers, Independent Assessment Services (IAS) and Capita. Claimants are required to make a request to the assessment provider to have their PIP assessment recorded, thereby opting-in to the recording of their assessment. The assessment provider will provide the equipment necessary to allow this service to proceed.

IAS currently delivers the facility to audio record face to face assessments. The department is working with Capita to complete the roll out of audio recording across all assessment centres which removes the requirement for the claimant to provide the equipment.

Work is also ongoing to introduce an audio recording facility for video assessments. This will bring the audio recording of face to face and video assessments in line with the recording of telephone assessments and the department aims to complete both as soon as it is practically possible.

Currently, PIP claimants invited to a face to face assessment by Capita can record their assessment themselves, subject to the conditions set by the department. These are listed in the PIP Assessment Guide (PIPAG) and are contained within correspondence sent to claimants by the assessment providers.