What NOT to Say at Your PIP Assessment - 8 Common Mistakes

Your PIP assessment is not a conversation. Every word you say is being scored against specific descriptors. Many people lose points not because they lied, but because they accidentally described themselves as more capable than they are on most days. Here are the most common mistakes.

1. "I Can Cook for Myself"

If the assessor asks whether you can cook, don't answer based on the one time last week you made toast. Think about most days. Can you plan a meal, stand at a worktop, use a knife safely, monitor cooking temperatures, and complete the whole process from start to finish without help - repeatedly, safely, in a reasonable time? If you need help, prompting, supervision, or aids for any part of this, say so.

Instead say: "On most days I cannot cook a meal from scratch. I rely on my partner to prepare meals because standing at the cooker makes me dizzy and I've burned myself twice in the last month."

2. "I Drove Here Today"

Driving to your assessment doesn't mean you can walk when you get there, or that you drove safely, or that you could do it every day. But assessors sometimes note this as evidence of capability. If someone drove you, say so. If you drove but it caused you pain or fatigue, say so.

Instead say: "My husband drove me. I haven't driven for six months because my medication makes me drowsy."

3. "I Have Good Days and Bad Days"

This sounds reasonable, but it shifts the assessor's focus to your good days. PIP is about what happens on the majority of days. If your bad days outnumber your good days, lead with the bad days.

Instead say: "Most days are bad days. Out of seven days, I'd say five are bad days where I can barely get out of bed, and maybe two are slightly better - but even on those days I still need help with washing and dressing."

4. "I Manage"

This is the most dangerous word in a PIP assessment. "Managing" implies coping. PIP doesn't ask whether you manage - it asks whether you can do things reliably, safely, to an acceptable standard, and in a reasonable time. Struggling through something doesn't count as managing in PIP terms.

Instead say: "I get through the day, but I cannot do it safely or reliably. I need constant prompting from my carer and even then things don't get done properly."

5. "I Walk My Dog"

Mentioning any physical activity - walking a dog, going to the shops, gardening - without context is risky. The assessor might write "claimant reports walking regularly." What they won't write is that you walk 20 metres to the end of the street while your partner takes the dog the rest of the way, and you're in pain for the rest of the day.

Instead say: "My partner walks the dog. I sometimes go to the front gate with them but I can't go further because of the pain in my knees."

6. "I Don't Take Medication"

If you've stopped medication because of side effects, can't afford prescriptions, or forgot, don't just say you don't take anything. Explain why. An assessor might assume your condition isn't serious enough to need medication.

Instead say: "I stopped taking amitriptyline because it made me so drowsy I fell down the stairs. My GP is trying to find an alternative that works."

7. Minimising Your Mental Health

"I get a bit anxious sometimes" is very different from "My anxiety is so severe that I cannot leave the house alone, I have panic attacks in public, and I haven't seen friends in six months." Don't soften your mental health symptoms. Describe the reality.

8. "I'm Fine" When Asked How You Are

The assessment often starts with "How are you today?" This is not small talk - some assessors note your response. If you say "fine" or "not bad," it can be recorded as evidence that you presented well. If you're in pain, say so. If you're anxious, say so.

Instead say: "I'm in a lot of pain today. I didn't sleep well because of it and I'm struggling to concentrate."