We want to help you feel prepared and ready for your telephone consultation. Step by step advice leading up to, during and after your telephone consultation.
Select from the below options to jump down to the relevant section:
Let us know if you would like to...
- Change your appointment - it's really important that you keep your appointment. If you don't, we will return your claim to DfC. If you cannot keep your appointment for any reason, tell us straight away. You can only change your appointment once.
- Request a language translator or British/Irish Sign Language interpreter.
- Request an appointment with a health professional of a specific gender.
What you need to bring for your telephone consultation
Proof of ID
You will not be asked to show ID, but you will be asked some security questions.
Your telephone
If we are calling you on your mobile phone, make sure your phone is fully charged before the consultation. Try to be in a quiet place, with a good signal and no background noise.
Any new evidence
If you have any new evidence of how your health condition or disability affects your daily life, please discuss this with the health professional. You will need to send a copy of this to DfC after your consultation.
Please send any new evidence to:
Freepost RTRT-EKUG-KXJR
PIP MOU
PO Box 42
Limavady
BT49 4AN
Who can join you at your consultation?
We encourage you to have someone with you during your consultation. This could be a friend, family member, carer or support worker. They should not speak for you, but they can help you to answer any questions or explain the difficulties you face more clearly. If your companion will be translating or interpreting for you, they must be over 18.
If your companion cannot be with you in person, we can add them to the telephone call. We will call you first, so please let the health professional know if you would like your companion to be added to the call. You will need to provide their telephone number and they need to be ready to answer the phone at the time of your appointment.
If there are, for any reason, issues with the signal or telephone line, we will try and call you back.
Here are some useful guides you can download
Here are some useful Easy Read versions of our guides
Audio recording
1
If you would like your consultation to be audio recorded, please let the health professional know at the start of your consultation.
2
Before the consultation you will need to agree to how the recording can be used.
3
If you decide you no longer want your consultation to be recorded, let the health professional know. They will stop the recording and your consultation will continue as normal.
After your appointment, you will receive a link to your recording by text message or email, and a separate text message with a one-time password. The password will expire after 24 hours and can only be used once to access and download your recording. This is to protect you and the information you provided at your appointment.
If you would like a CD copy of the recording, please let the health professional know. We will also keep a copy of the recording.
After your consultation, if you have any difficulties accessing your recording, or need a CD copy, please contact Capita.
To find out more about audio recording, please visit our FAQs page.
Be ready for the call...
You need to be ready for the health professional to call you at the time of your appointment. The call will come from an 0808 or withheld number. Our health professional will try to call you up to three times over a 20-minute period. If you do not answer the phone, we will return your claim to DfC.
Remember to let the health professional know if you would like your companion to be added to the call.
The health professional will identify themselves by telling you their name and saying that they are calling from Capita PIP.
The health professional will need to ask you some identification questions before your consultation can go ahead. If you have any concerns that the health professional is not who they say they are, please get in touch.
Our health professionals are specially trained to carry out functional consultations. It is important to remember that the consultation is not medical, so the health professional is not looking to diagnose your symptoms or recommend treatment. Instead, it will focus on how your health condition or disability impacts your day-to-day life. The health professional will ask you how you manage your daily activities and will record your answers on a laptop. This is your opportunity to explain how your health condition or disability affects you.
The consultation will take as long as is necessary for the health professional to gather the information they need - this is usually around an hour.
The health professional will write a report for DfC.
The report will be based on the evidence you have provided as well as anything you discussed during your consultation.
They will send the report to DfC so they can make a decision on your claim.
DfC will look at your claim and all supporting information. This includes the consultation report, your ‘How your disability affects you’ form and any other evidence you have provided.
Once they have made their decision, they will write to you to tell you if you can get PIP. This letter will also tell you what to do next if you do not agree with the decision.
When you get your decision letter, if you want a copy of the consultation report, or you have any questions about your claim or the decision, please phone DfC on 0800 587 0932 (textphone: 0800 587 0937).
If you have hearing or speech difficulties, you can also contact DfC through Relay UK: 18001 then 0800 121 4433.
*[DfC]: Department for Communities
*[PIP]: Personal Independence Payment
