Scared - what is this about?

I am on ESA in the support group - moved there from Invalidity Benefit. I have just turned 60 - I won't get my state pension until I am 66. My last claim for ESA was about 5 years ago and a long stressful fiasco - I was turned down and appealed with the help of this forum and was put in the Support Group - no actual time limit given before next assessment.

Yesterday I received a large brown envelope - gingerly opened it and peeked inside and saw the heading ESA and "We need to look at your claim". Immediately stuffed the letter in a drawer and got very down. I am just about to go and visit my dying Mother and really don't need to think about this right now.

Anyway today I read it and am a bit scared. I thought it was going to be the reassessment form again. But it is a bit confusing. It says they need to look at my claim to decide if I might also be eligible for income-related ESA and they want details back to 2012. (I am on contributions related ESA).

So basically they are asking questions about my savings, my partner's savings and if he works more than 24 hours a week. I would definitely not be eligible for income related ESA.

But why are they asking? I can only assume they want to know if I have any money or other support and will then send me a reassessment for ESA or just tell me I'm no longer eligible?

I don't understand what is going on or why they can ask me if I'm eligible for income related ESA when I am not claiming income related ESA. I feel very suspicious.

In the pack is an ESA3 form for completion - or a slip to return where I have to tick I am not completing the form and tick the reason why. The reasons why are
I have a partner who works more than 24 hours a week
I have savings over £16,000
I have a partner who has savings over £16,000 a week

I would have to tick all three. I am very scared because I am currently in a not good relationship, and have been worrying about my future with that - can't afford to leave and don't have a right to live in the house we live in. I have savings from a former house sale which I don't want to touch. We aren't married and my partner's finances are separate and managed by him. All I have is the ESA money with which I buy food for us. My partner pays the bills.

Even if I didn't have a partner I would stil have to tick the box saying I have savings over £16,000.

It feels like a very personal intrusion when I have never claimed income related ESA and was eligible for contributions related ESA.

Please can someone tell me what is going on here? I am guessing they want to find out if I have any other financial means or support and will then tell me I'm no longer eligible for any ESA is that right?

Or will probably send me the form to go through ESA assessment and medical again.

I am in a lot of pain at the moment after a fall and have umpteen other things going on medically plus my Mother is dying of cancer. My Partner doesn't understand ill health and gets frustrated with me - to be honest I want to run away but can't right now and have nowhere to go. I have been focusing on keeping things from my Mum because she's dying.

Sorry for being a bit rambling there. I have been going through Invalidity and ESA assessments for about 18 years and each time it makes me sink into a depression just having to deal with the bureaucracy and tricksiness and personal questions.

Can I just ignore this form? I am not looking to claim income related ESA and why should I tell them my personal financial situation?