Unexpected ESA Face to Face Assessment

My wife (appointee for another family member), received an invitation for them to a face to face assessment a few days ago. It's completely unexpected so I wonder why?

ESA in the support group was originally awarded due to mental health in October 2017, back dated to April 2017, and no face to face was required, presumably based on medical evidence and the evidence provided of exceptional circumstances, including attempted suicides and risk of harm.

Then in August 2018 we were required to complete a new ESA50. We hear nothing since but have had various letters about payments which continued as before, We assumed the review must have decided that the same decision was to be made - continuing in the support group,

Now there is this unexpected invitation to a face to face, could it be due to the ESA50 from August last year? Or could it be an automated letter sent by mistake? It seems strange that a F2F is now required, when before it was not required and there have been no significant health changes, and the same (albeit updated) evidence of exceptional circumstances were supplied in August with the ESA50.

How can we best challenge the need for a F2F since this wasn't required before?

We're really worried that a F2F or and adverse decision could cause risk to others or another attempted suicide.

Nothing has changed much about the disability since August and the evidence presented on the revised ESA50 was much the same as last time (albeit updated with more recent examples), for which no face to face was deemed necessary.

We phoned DWP, who refused to let us speak to a decision maker and said that an assessment was needed, despite nothing having changed and the evidence of serious risk to various people if it went ahead.

The family member is refusing to go to the face to face saying they are too ill. They would rather be without benefits and move back home - which unfortunately would put me and the appointee (and our property) in danger. Worse, the family member would be in danger of suicide too, having previous tried to commit suicide many times.

What can we do, is there a way to get the decision to require an assessment to be reviewed? The DWP person we phoned suggested asking for a home visit, and give evidence of risk in the letter about that in the hope the assessment provider decided to cancel the assessment. But a home visit would be just as difficult and unlikely to happen and risky as a face to face - because of the mental health problems.

It might be difficult to get the family member to do it, but what if they asked their doctor to write a letter to the DWP or to the assessment provider? Or, could the appointee write to DWP or the Assessment provider, with evidence of the current situation as a result of the family member being told about the assessment appointment, and ask them to contact the doctor?

What if the appointee attends without the claimant?

What if after failing to attend we submit that because of the illness there was good cause not to attend?

It seems like, just being told about the appointment has sent our family member into emotional meltdown.

Is there any value in cancelling the appointment as you say, despite the fact we don't want to complete a new ESA50, because nothing much has changed and because completing another form would create similar dangers and risks to the appointee, the claimant and I as attending a face to face?

Thanks.

Sounds like the only way to avoid serious problems is to try to get the doctor to help.

Unfortunately we can't talk directly to the GP, and the family member might find it difficult or just refuse to talk to them about this.

Can we ask Maximus to obtain more details from the GP, I guess they must have done this last time and (other than that) they had the same information last time, yet did a paper decision then?

Would they continue to get her PIP (and presumably therefore housing benefit) if the ESA was stopped pending appeal?