PIP Renewal after successful appeal... now ESA too

We're trying to get through on the telephone to the relevant staff. Will try again tomorrow.

Meanwhile a letter from IAS arrived yesterday summoning my friend to a F2F on Tuesday... despite the doctor's letter stating 'ongoing thought of self-harm', 'suicidal ideation' and 'He will find attending any face to face appointment extremely stressful and I hope you will see your way to granting the benefit(s) without assessing him further. He has been to face to face assessments in the past'.

I so want to spare him the distress of attending - is there anything further I can do? TBH I'm struggling to think straight myself.

I know it's OK to cancel the first appointment - should we do that & send a copy of the doctor's letter direct to IAS and urging them to do a PBR as for ESA?

I've twice requested in writing the E85A - thinking ahead for evidence to support PIP application - but they still haven't sent it.

The assessors had sent a request for further information to his doctor... which was subsumed in a huge backlog as the GP is part-time only.

Following a telephone GP appointment, a further doctor's letter was issued which we forwarded to the assessment centre.

The assessor then wanted to ask some questions of the applicant, who had a panic attack. The assessor said they would call back 'on Monday at noon'. Following the usual security clearance, the assessor was happy to ask those question of me on behalf of the applicant.

TL:DR
Great news! Increased PIP award granted, letter received at Christmas. Enhanced DL as before, plus new Standard Mobility on grounds of agoraphobia (which we hadn't actually focussed on, just wanting his previous award to be renewed).

Thank you for everything you do - both on the forum and in the guides - without which both of us would go under.