ESA reassessment - home visit request plus timing

I am going through the same battle!

First of all assessment people claimed they had never received the letter from my GP requesting a home visit (I have agoraphobia).

This was probably untrue as it was sent signed delivery and I have the post office record.

Anyway, then they wanted me to get the GP to fax it to them. I expressed surprise that in the 21st century, they wanted/needed faxes. Reluctantly, they agreed to allow me to scan the letter (I have a copy) and email them.

When I rang last week, 2 days before my assessment (still no word on home visit), they said they had it, but no one from the "medical team" had had time to read it.

They agreed to cancel my appointment and rebook for two weeks time, to give them time to consider my request and GP letter.

You are allowed one cancellation and rebook before the stop the benefit I was told.

That is so magnanimous of them! They need more time, but I have to be the one who keeps phoning and gets the appointment moved.

Sorry to hear that you are going through a similar thing, PDA. I really hope that you have a good outcome too. It's a ridiculous system in so many ways and really hard to not take it personally when you are mid-experience. Good luck.

Hello,

Wanted to let you know that I received the official letter from the DWP today to say I am remaining in the Support Group. Such a relief. Thanks again for all the resources your website provides plus the individually tailored responses to specific queries. Invaluable.

As described earlier on this thread, my assessment was done without a face to face assessment in the end. Is there any way of telling how long they will leave it before reassessment and/or is me asking this likely to change any decision about the length of award? (I realise the second part of my question might sound a bit paranoid - based on the combination of experience and knowledge of the DWP I get intense anxiety regarding anything DWP related and find it difficult to remain rational about their procedures)

A second question: I need to contact the DWP again anyway because they have ignored/ not received/ mislaid my letter and bank statements sent to them on 23rd July explaining that my savings have increased following my award of PIP a year ago - they still quote my savings amounts from a year ago in the break down of ESA award amounts. Shall I just ring the 0800 number at the top of the ESA letter to check why they haven't registered my last letter?

Thanks and best wishes.

Hi Gordon,

I spoke to the DWP last week about the reassessment date. Unfortunately, it's down as next September and I've been warned that the paperwork will come before this time. So very little respite from the whole business! Is one year a common time frame? I hadn't been assessed for about 5 years before this and they did that on paper too. I was surprised in the opposite way last year that my PIP award was given for 10 years - this due to the same long term health conditions mentioned in my ESA application.

I am also wondering if there is a statement of decision making that will have been written about me this time with regards to ESA, even though it was a paper based decision in the end, and, if so, if it's worth me requesting this in order to help me when filling in my forms again next year? I do really want to return to work - paid or unpaid - and am doing all I can to improve my health so I can do so but the likelihood of my situation changing significantly by then is pretty low .

I am also wondering how to find out when the transition to Universal Credit is due to happen in our area and how this might affect me as someone currently in the Support Group for ESA. Is that a question for the DWP or is there some reliable online information available?

Thanks and best wishes.