What is supporting information?

Supporting information is information from:

• professionals
• the individual’s wider support network

It’s added to the information provided by the individual in their application or review form. Additionally, it can be provided in the form of the statement of support, which is part of the PADP application form.

The statement of support can be completed by either a professional or the individual’s wider support network and is considered supporting information. It can be used as a confirmation from a professional or additional supporting information, dependent on the information it provides and criteria it meets as explored in this chapter.

The application or review form should always be the main source of information that you use to determine entitlement to disability assistance.

There are two types of supporting information:

• confirmation from a professional
• additional supporting information

A confirmation from a professional can only come from a professional. The key role of this type of supporting information is to broadly confirm the individual’s conditions, disabilities, or needs. It is likely that confirmation from a professional will provide little to no detail on how the individual is impacted by their condition or disability in their life and what their needs are.

Additional supporting information can come from the client’s wider support network or a professional. Its purpose is to help you establish the individual’s level of need and entitlement. It adds detail to the application or review form by describing the individual’s needs on a day-to-day basis.

Additional supporting information is just one decision-making tool available to you to help understand a case and make a determination. If you do need more information to make a decision, you should consider which tool would best provide this information. Additional supporting information will not always be the best tool to establish an individual’s entitlement.

For example, a follow-up call to the individual or a case discussion may be the easiest way to get further clarification rather than asking a professional or their wider support network.

For example, supporting information may provide details on:

• a diagnosis
• a treatment being received, such as medication or physiotherapy
• how an individual’s condition or disability impacts their life
• steps taken to find out about the individual’s condition and make a diagnosis
• aids and equipment that an individual uses to manage daily life
• support that the individual needs at work, in a club they attend, carrying out their interests/hobbies, or when attending social events, although this information is more likely to be found in additional supporting information.

The role of supporting information in the decision-making process

Supporting information, where available, should be used to support an individual’s application or review. It should not be used to “evidence” or “prove” every detail of what the individual has described.

Where an individual has not provided supporting information with their application, we will not automatically request it. Here, it is your responsibility to decide whether supporting information is needed for that particular determination.

However, where an individual provides supporting information with their application, it should always be considered in your decision-making process.

You are legally obligated to consider all relevant information in your decision-making process.

This applies to both the supporting information used as the confirmation from a professional or additional supporting information.

If supporting information has been provided, you will have to consider it. This is also the case if you already have enough detail to establish the individual’s needs, for example from their application form.

Possible formats

Supporting information can be:

• documentary
• written
• verbal
• photographic or video

Documentary

Documentary supporting information is from professional sources. It consists of official documents that were not necessarily produced to support the individual’s application or review.

For example, a:

• report from a specialist doctor based on their interaction with the individual and medical records
• prescription list of the individual’s medications

Written

Written supporting information is a statement written for the purpose of supporting the individual’s PADP application, rather than a pre-existing official document.

For example, a statement from a relative of the individual about the impact of their disability on their day-to-day life. Another example is the statement of support in the PADP application form, filled in by someone who knows them, which can include professionals.

We can provide supporting information request forms to professionals and members of the individual’s wider support network, should you conclude that more supporting information is needed to make a robust determination. These have questions to help them give us necessary information.

Verbal

Verbal supporting information is taken directly from relevant sources.

For example, information provided over the phone by the individual’s wider support network about the impact of the individual’s condition.

Photographic or video

Pictures that have been taken by a medical professional as part of treatment or diagnosis, such as X-ray pictures, can be accepted as supporting information.

Individuals might also submit photographs or videos of their conditions. For example, a photograph of themselves in a wheelchair.

However, individuals are encouraged not to submit images or videos in support of an application.

Likewise, a case manager must not ask the individual or the person acting on behalf of the applicant to submit personal photographs or videos.

However, if submitted, personal photographs or videos should not be discounted as the individual has clearly felt it important to share.

For more information on how photos/videos should be considered in the decision-making process, see the understanding and interpreting chapter.

Related reading

• Confirmation from a professional
• Additional supporting information
• Decision-Making Tools
• Supporting information request forms
• how to contact the individual’s wider support network by phone
• how to consider photographic supporting information
• Rates and Criteria Chapter