The Short Answer
PIP assessments by telephone or in person have been audio recorded by default since 29 June 2026, and you can ask for a copy of your recording. Video assessments are not recorded. You can opt out before or during the assessment, and opting out does not disadvantage your claim. The copy arrives as a secure download link by text message, and the link works for 7 days. DWP normally keeps recordings for 24 months. The recording lets you check the assessment report against what was actually said.
The key facts on PIP assessment recording, each with its source and the date it was checked:
| Fact | Figure | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recording by default started | 29 June 2026 | GOV.UK recordings guidance | 30/09/2026 |
| Formats recorded | Telephone and in person; not video | GOV.UK recordings guidance | 30/09/2026 |
| Download link valid for | 7 days | GOV.UK recordings guidance | 30/09/2026 |
| Repeat downloads allowed | Within 24 hours of the first download | GOV.UK recordings guidance | 30/09/2026 |
| DWP keeps the recording for | Normally 24 months | GOV.UK recordings guidance | 30/09/2026 |
| Claimants who asked under the old opt-in rule | Fewer than 3% | DWP press release, 29 June 2026 | 30/09/2026 |
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Are PIP Assessments Recorded?
Yes. Every PIP assessment held by telephone or in person, at an assessment centre or at home, has been audio recorded as standard since 29 June 2026, unless you opt out. GOV.UK states: "From 29 June 2026, all telephone and face-to-face appointments will be audio recorded." The main PIP guidance now reads: "The audio of your assessment will be recorded."
The same default covers Universal Credit and Employment and Support Allowance assessments and Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit. The recording does not change how the PIP assessment is scored or who decides the claim.
Before the change, recording was opt-in. DWP's announcement of 29 June 2026 says claimants "had to request a recording themselves", and that "fewer than 3 percent of claimants took up the offer".
| What changed | Before 29 June 2026 | From 29 June 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Default position | Opt-in: recorded only on request | Opt-out: recorded unless you say no |
| Who has to act | You, by asking for a recording | You, only if you do not want one |
| How many assessments are recorded | Fewer than 3% of claimants asked | Every phone and in-person assessment not opted out |
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Can You Refuse to Have Your Assessment Recorded?
Yes. You can opt out of PIP assessment recording before the appointment or at any point during it, and GOV.UK states that "You will not be disadvantaged if you opt out." To opt out in advance, contact the Health Assessment Advisory Service (HAAS) on the number at the top of your appointment letter. HAAS is the service that books the assessment and sends that letter.
During the assessment, you can tell the health professional that you no longer want to be recorded. GOV.UK confirms that the assessment "will be carried out in the same way" and that opting out "does not affect the length of time it takes to process your claim".
An opt-out covers one assessment only. GOV.UK states: "Choosing to opt out of being recorded will not apply to other assessments in the future. You will need to tell us each time." A later review assessment is therefore recorded unless you opt out again.
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Are Telephone and Video Assessments Recorded Too?
Telephone assessments are recorded automatically; video assessments are not. GOV.UK lists the recorded formats as "over the phone" and "in person (at a centre or in your home)", and states: "We can't record video assessments because of technical limitations."
DWP says it is working on audio recording for video assessments, but it has not published a date. Where your appointment is by video and recording matters to you, GOV.UK asks you to contact HAAS before the appointment using the number at the top of your letter.
The guides to telephone assessments and to face-to-face and video assessments explain how each format runs. Your appointment letter states the format.
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How Do You Get a Copy of Your Recording?
Ask for your PIP assessment recording during the assessment or call the number on your appointment letter, and DWP sends a text message with a secure download link. You need a smartphone and your National Insurance number to open it. The steps are as follows:
- Ask the health professional for the recording during the assessment, or call the number on your appointment letter afterwards.
- Wait for the text message containing the secure download link.
- Open the link within 7 days, using a smartphone and your National Insurance number.
- Download the file and save it; repeat downloads work only within 24 hours of the first download.
- Call the appointment letter number for a new link if the first one expires or does not work.
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GOV.UK does not publish a timescale for the text message to arrive, so asking during the assessment avoids a later wait. The guide to what happens after the assessment explains how to get the written report as well.
Without a smartphone, you can ask DWP for a copy through its request your personal information form, or by letter. The letter must include your full name, address and postcode, date of birth and National Insurance number, and it helps to give the assessment date. Post it to Right of Access Requests, Mail Handling Site A, Wolverhampton, WV98 2EF.
The recording "may only be used in relation to your claim" and "must not be published or reproduced". You may share the download link with a trusted friend or supporter who helps you download it, but GOV.UK asks you not to share it more widely.
Can You Still Make Your Own Recording?
Yes, the PIP assessment guide allows for your own audio recording on your own device, except when you have opted out of the official recording, and it does not permit video. The guide for assessment providers, updated on 31 August 2026, states that if you opt out and still want to record on your own device, "neither party shall record the consultation".
The same guide states that "A video recording of a consultation is not permitted", to protect the safety and privacy of staff and other claimants. You can always take written notes: you and any companion "are entitled to take notes for their own purposes", and you do not have to give the health professional a copy.
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Using the Recording If You Disagree With the Report
Compare your PIP assessment recording with the assessment report, note each point where the report differs from what you said, and send that list with your mandatory reconsideration request. The report is the document the decision rests on. GOV.UK states that "Decision makers will not use recordings to make their decisions", so an error only counts once you point it out.
DWP's announcement says written reports are still used to decide claims, "with audio recordings providing a more accurate record should that be required".
A careful comparison follows four steps:
- Get the recording and a copy of the assessment report.
- List each statement in the report that differs from the recording, with the time in the recording where it occurs.
- Match each difference to the activity and descriptor it affects.
- Send the list with your request for PIP Mandatory Reconsideration, and keep a copy.
GOV.UK states that you usually need to ask for mandatory reconsideration within one month of the date of the decision. The same list becomes appeal evidence if the decision is not changed and you appeal to the tribunal.
A tribunal hearing recording is a different record. GOV.UK states that hearing recordings are free and that you apply for a copy within 18 months of the hearing date.
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Check the Points You Should Have Scored
A difference between the report and the recording matters when it changes a descriptor, because 8 points in a PIP component pays the standard rate and 12 points pays the enhanced rate. Use the descriptors you described at the assessment to add up your PIP points, then compare that total with the points in your decision letter.
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