Establishing if information is relevant

During case familiarisation you might conclude that some information is not relevant. You should not use the irrelevant information to establish the facts of that case.

Information might not be relevant if, for example:

• it describes the prognosis, symptoms or impact of a condition in relation to people in general when you’ve already established the individual experiences the condition differently
• it covers a period of time that is not relevant to the individual’s application or review
• it was provided by a person, or organisation, who is unlikely to be familiar with the individual, their conditions, disability or needs
• you’ve found inconsistencies in the information provided and established that it’s more likely than not that one or more pieces of information is inaccurate or untrue.

For example, the individual’s description could differ from the GP’s account of their symptoms. The individual could state that their symptoms have got worse recently. As their GP last saw them 6 months ago, you establish that it is more likely than not the GP is describing the individual’s symptoms before the recent change.

Read more about establishing relevance and quality of supporting information.