Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2017 to Question 110692, whether his Department uses a medical assessment as evidence when the claimant disputes the accuracy of that assessment; whether medical evidence from health care professionals not involved in the medical assessment can be used to overturn an assessment; and whether it is his Department's policy that a claimant may ask for a second medical assessment in the event that the claimant believes that the assessment has not accurately reported their condition.

When disputing a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) decision, claimants can provide whatever additional evidence from whatever source they think will best help their application. There are no restrictions. The case manager will look at all evidence during the reconsideration process applying relevant weight to each piece of evidence on an individual basis.

Claimants cannot demand a second assessment. Instead, and based on evidence provided by the claimant and/or where the case manager (decision maker) requires answers to his own questions, the assessment provider may be approached to provide additional advice – see para 1.13 in the PIP Assessment Guide:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/655611/pip-assessment-guide-part-1-assessment-process.pdf