functionality test esa assessor

Hi Everyone,

My 3 years in the Wrag group has now been decided to reassess me. I received at the end of may 2016, the ESA50 form.

to cut a long story short, as my illnesses have deteriorated and I'm in more pain, discomfort, and suffer more significantly with overwhelming psychological distress. if & when I'm assessed either at home or in an assessment centre.

Do I legally by law have to give the accessor consent to him/her performing a functionality test (medical exam) on me.

As I feel that due to my illnesses it was cause me significant pain, discomfort and distress.

also If I do not have to, can someone please advise me on what I should say to the assessor, in order for him / her not to write down.....mr blablabla refused the test! as an excuse to score me down on points.

is there a declaration of such I could read out to him /her. as I have issues with expressing myself and I get all twisted.


many thanks to you all.

incidentally maybe not this post to write on.. but at the same time. I had a renewal for PIP come through the post. even though its only half way through the awarded time of 3 years?

all help is gratefully appreciated thanks

Hi and Welcome to the forum, you might want to have a look at the following FAQ which explain where everything is

Welcome to Benefits and Work

The first thing I will say is that the face2face assessment is not like any 'medical' you will have experienced. There will be a lot of questions and only a little physical examination. This is likely to be watching you move and assessing muscle strength.


You do not have to undertake any activity that would cause you a lot of pain, breathlessness, exhaustion etc. However, you must make it clear that the only reason you are declining is because it would cause you a lot of pain etc - even then, assessors still sometimes report that the claimant 'refused' to undertake these.

The only way you can be sure that the assessor correctly relays what you have said is to ask for the appointment to be recorded. You should send this request in along with the ESA50. Failing that, you can have someone with you who will take notes.

You give yourself the best chance of getting a favourable decision without a face2face assessment by filling the ESA50 form in detail. Our ESA guide will help you with this

ESA claims and appeals

As far as your PIP is concerned - it is currently DWP policy to commence reassessment a whole year before the award is due to end

The same advice re form filling and assessments applies to PIP

PIP help for claimants

You might want to bookmark/favourite this on your web browser now so that you can find it easily in future. This will allow you to return with further questions/comments about your ESA without having to start a new topic each time. You can then have a different topic dealing with your PIP if you wish. It helps us enormously when everything relating to the same claim is kept in one place - and I hope you will find it useful too

Thanks for the replies back to me.

I did fill out the esa50 form, but I couldn't get an appointment with an advocacy not until 18 may. and also had to wait for my GP to compile me a letter of support which was on the 19th may 2016.

this left me in a state of utter panic so to cut a long story short, as I was very unwell both physically & mentally. I wasn't able to express myself or concentrate filling out the esa50 form

this was posted on the 22nd may as the deadline was for 24th may.

my question is this.......

I have since had much help & support from my family & friends, and they have sat down and talked to me about all of my illnesses etc.

they have gone through a copy of the esa50 form I had made. and now....
there's so much more important relevant information, that should had been put down on the original form.


can I use this new information in notes at an assessment when they ask me about my illnesses, conditions, & disabilities?
which gives full details of how my illnesses affect me?

will he / she take note of any of this?

should I leave the assessor a copy of such details with him or her. so they can use it to score me points, and or to add in their report?

help would be appreciated please.

sorry finally... as my esa50 form has already been sent off. how do I go about getting or asking for a home visit?
I requested this on the form and gave my reasons. but since then on this forum I need a doctors letter stating this ?

what's my best plan of action, I don't want the assessor skipping through the assessment in a mere 15 minutes or so at the expense of my life, for their piece work bonuses?

thanks for any replies