Esa face to face - refused home assessment

Hi I have received a letter today saying I have to have a face to face at an assessment centre which is quite a way away. I have agoraphobia. I gave them a GP letter some months ago, and my GP also gave them a report which she told me she has specifically stated I required a home assessment.
Is there anything I can do about this? I don't know if I will be able to make it to the face to face which is on the 18th October, even with my parents going with me. Now I am also left feeling that they have completely ignored my GP and clearly don't believe her, so why will they believe me? I am really scared. I don't know what to do. I had a panic attack on opening the letter and reading this. I just think I'm doomed no matter what I do. If I manage to get there they will say I got there so whats the problem. If I don't get there they will cut me off anyway. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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

Welcome to Benefits and Work

I'm sorry you are having so much trouble getting a home visit for your face2face assessment We do see this occasionally, I'm afraid.

If the assessment provider is ignoring a new letter from your GP, the only other thing I can suggest is to get your MP involved

Contacting your MP

As the claimant, you are allowed to alter your appointment once without any problems. You could use this to delay the assessment until your MP has had chance to try and intervene. However, you would then have to keep the new appointment, when and wherever it is, or risk having your file returned to DWP and your claim closed. This decision would be appeal-able but it would be far better to avoid this situation if possible!

May I suggest that you 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 or comments about your PIP without having to start a new topic each time. It helps us enormously when everything relating to the same claim is kept in one topic - and I hope you will find it useful too

I don't know if ESA is similar to Pips but, When I completed my pips form, I requested a home assessment and gave evidence of the reasons why this was necessary. However, I don't think they really bother reading the form or evidence before allocating the appointments because I then received a letter telling me I had to go to an assessment centre more than 90 minutes away by public transport - impossible for me. I telephoned and explained why I couldn't make the appointment and emphasised the evidence I had included. They told me my request for a home visit would have to be approved by a senior member of staff but they would cancel the first appointment anyway then write to me with their decision. I was incredibly anxious for the next ten days but extremely relieved when I got my letter saying they would do a home visit. Does anyone on this board know whether ESA applicants can telephone and make another request for a home visit in the same way I did for Pips?

Hi Nenen,

On first reading, I thought that smalltrace had already phoned Maximus and asked for a home assessment. However, on re-reading, it doesn't look as if this has been done, so it is well worth trying.

Thank you for your replies, I just rang maximus was told to submit another letter. Only my GP has already given them a letter and done a medical report. I don't see anyone else for my problems as couple of years ago the mental health team discharged me as I was not improving at all and they felt it was useless sticking with me at the same time I lost the psychatrist I was under as he was part of the team so to speak. The guy that discharged me was very horrible and blamed me for my condition and told me others in the team couldn't help me as I wouldn't help myself. So I avoided being put back under them. I have agoraphobia, anxiety, GAD, panic attacks, a bladder condition and depression.

Can you send them a copy of the GP's letter?