Assessment

It's a shambles, isn't it?!

Hi It is disgusting.
I have worked for 32 years and my sickness money finished at work and my HR Dept told me to apply for contribution based ESA. I get £ 70 a week. I was very unwell today I still went for the assessment and they cancel when I arrive.
My Husband is steaming. Because I have never claimed before I never knew how people were being treated. Well I do now I am disgusted.
Thank you to this site for all the info

regards Linnie

Hi Gordon
Just wondered if you have any ideas.
My next assessment interview was arranged and cancelled the night before I was due to go.
Then on the 21st Dec I was just outside the assessment centre and they phoned my mobile to cancel again. I was really unwell on this day but went. I said I was not accepting this so they agreed because I was actually there I would be seen. My daughter attended with me. I took a new letter from the hospital saying my condition had worsened and my quality of life was poor. The assessor like you had said goes for all the evidence. She also went through all the info the GP had sent. She was not overly friendly but was not horrible. She said she wished me well and hoped I would be feeling a little better for Christmas. She explained that the info is sent to a decision maker. It can take quite a few weeks to hear back. So from the 21st Dec I have not heard anything. On Saturday 16th January I put a call through to the ESA Helpline number and asked if a decision had been made. The lady explained that no decision had been made and it can take time. I asked if this is because of Christmas New Year etc. She said no. She said it goes to a decision maker. They will then let me know if I am accepted for ESA and What group I would be in either a WRAG OR SUPPORT GROUP. I said so there is no update. She said no decision at the moment and asked if my mobile number was better to contact me on. I said I would ring again in a week. About one hour later my post arrived and there was two envelopes for me. On opening both they were exactly the same letters so duplicated dated 12th January from my actual local Job Centre saying an appointment has been made for me for interview with an advisor for a work focused interview for esa claimants. To help me with retraining etc. Now I am confused because I have been told no decision has been made from my assessment interview and now this has come. I am actually still employed just on long term sick leave. Can you advise me on this. I just don't understand. Kind Regards Linnie

Hi Linnie

I got several letters from the job centre, including one only a couple of days before I got the letter to say I was in the support group. I already knew I was in the support group because I had rang DWP and been told so about a week before the letter arrived.

Suggest you ring the jobcenter and say you have not been assessed yet

Good luck

Elisa