The conversation might seem innocent enough, but could reveal a lot about your health and mobility
People who are due to be assessed for a common DWP benefit should be aware that a common question about their shopping habits might not be as innocent as it seems. In some cases, it could make a major difference in how much PIP they end up being awarded by eagle-eyed assessors.
Expert Jacqueline Gozzard, who’s worked out if thousands of people have needed PIP during her career, told Dr Asif Ahmed on his podcast that the assessment process involves a lot more than just looking at what people write down on their forms or answer to the official questions. In some cases, an innocent conversation about shopping could reveal something that makes a major difference, she claims.
“When they walk in, and you ask if it’s OK to start the assessment, the first question I’ll ask is, ‘did you find us okay?'” She said. “They’ll tell me where they’ve come from.”
Sharing an example, she said: “‘I came from [town/city], and there’s an amazing Asda near [where they live], and it had some saucepans on sale’.” She went on: “I’ll then ask them if they are still on sale, and when they last went in?”
Explaining how such answers could affect a claim, she said: “With that, they’ve actually told me how often they go out and what they do before they’ve even sat down. They’ve told me when they last went to the supermarket, how often they go out – we’ve covered a big chunk of [the assessment] before they’ve even sat down and they don’t realise it.”
In the same podcast episode, Jacqueline claimed that the in-person PIP assessment isn’t just about what happens during the formal portion of the check-in. Instead, people are being judged from the moment they walk in through the front door, she said.
The ‘chair test’ is something that people may get caught out by twice during their evaluation. Jacqueline explained that the waiting room is designed to test people from the very beginning. It can be very telling if people subconsciously choose a certain seat – and then go for the same option in the assessment room.
Whilst it might seem underhand to test people in this way, the assessor claimed it can “go both ways”. She told the GP that people might reveal more than they have initially put down on the form, which can sometimes help if they have undersold how much they struggle with certain tasks on a day-to-day basis.
What are the current PIP payment rates?
The amount of PIP awarded depends on the level of difficulty experienced with everyday activities (daily living tasks) and mobility (getting around). Based on the latest figures from GOV.UK, the current rates are:
- Daily living part: £73.90 (lower) £110.40 (higher)
- Mobility part: £29.20 (lower) £77.05 (higher)
The highest weekly PIP payment in the UK stands at £187.45 (£749.80 over a four-week period). This represents the maximum sum available to those who qualify for both the daily living and mobility elements at the enhanced rate.
This amount is scheduled to increase in spring 2026, with recipients due for a 3.8 per cent uplift. The daily living element of PIP will climb to between £76.70 and £114.60 weekly from April 2026 whilst the mobility aspect is due to rise to between £30.30 and £80.
For information on how to claim this benefit in England or Wales, go to the GOV.UK website here. People in Scotland can claim the equivalent benefit of Adult Disability Payment, and people in Northern Ireland can research claim details for PIP here.
