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Guidance

Health assessments: audio recordings

Information on audio recordings at telephone and face-to-face health assessments.

Updates to this page

From:
Department for Work and Pensions
Published:
5 June 2013
Last updated:
29 June 2026
Show all updates

  1. Updated the page to reflect changes to the health assessment process. The page now covers information on health assessments and audio recordings for all related benefits.

  2. 'Audio recording of assessments: consent form' has been updated

  3. The page has been updated to reflect the current process and account for the change in assessment channels, for example the introduction of telephone assessments. Page title has also changed from 'Employment and Support Allowance Work Capability Assessment: audio recording of face-to-face assessments' to 'Employment and Support Allowance Work Capability Assessment: audio recordings' to account for changes.

  4. Changes to the guidance about audio recording of face-to-face Work Capability Assessments and the introduction of a consent form.

  5. First published.

Documents

Audio recordings at health assessments

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Details

Audio recording is now standard practice for all telephone and face-to-face health assessments. This includes assessments for:

  • Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
  • Universal Credit (UC)
  • Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • Industrial Injuries Disablement benefit

The guidance explains:

  • what will happen at an appointment
  • how you can access a copy of the recording
  • how to opt out
  • how the Department for Work and Pensions will store and use recordings

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