Assessment Frustration

At this point, I've had it up to my eyeballs with ESA and the appointments people. My mother comes to my assessments with me as support and when I filled in the ESA50 last year she was working Weds-Fri and I could only really do afternoons, I also asked for the recording equipment. We gave them the asked for "dates" we couldn't do for the required amount of time as well as a few extra months after. Basically a lot of considerations were needed. My mother's job then changed and she ended up not being able to do Monday - Wednesday, we informed them of this and they said not to worry they'd sort it. The first appointment came through and it was for a Monday morning, I rang them and again reiterated that my mother's workdays had changed and they apologised for the mistake and said they would rearrange it. Another appointment came in for another Monday morning, two days later I got another letter saying they had rearranged for the following week on a Monday afternoon. Still a day I am unable to do so I've rung them again. The gentleman on the phone was really harsh with me and even said I'd rang up on Monday just gone, which I had in fact not done as I was laid up in bed all day. He basically told me they are no longer able to change the date because I'd already rearranged, which I wouldn't have done if they had actually listened. And again I wouldn't be trying to rearrange this one either if again they had actually listened.

I can't make the appointment they have given, there is no way my mum can get the time off work as its too soon to get it changed. So now I don't know what to do, I can't handle going to the appointment on my own and the only other person I'd want to go with my is my partner but he is also at work that day and again he can't get the time off work this late in the day. I also have no way of getting there. I've been told if I don't attend the appointment then my file will go back to the ESA and they will ask why I didn't go and I have a chance to let them know why I didn't attend and then they would see if they believed me and decide from there.

I'm really frustrated and stressed out and I don't know what to do. Does anyone have any advice at all?

Thanks in advance

Thank you for your reply BIS. I've rung them so many times telling them the days of availability have changed since filling the form in well over 12 months ago but he said that wasn't their problem and how they had already shown me loads of considerations and why should they do it again. Even when he read the days I was available out (the original dates we said not the updated ones) and I told him I'd rung several times about that he just didn't seem to care. I will be ringing again beginning of next week, I believe one of the appointments they made me was actually on a day I was available and they cancelled it an hour before I was meant to be there. But that appointment was on one of the new available days which happened to not be on one of the forms original available days. Sorry if that's confusing, basically originally when I filled in the form my mum worked Weds, Thurs and Fri, later on, last year her workdays moved to Mon, Tues, Weds. They keep giving me Monday appointments, apart from the one they cancelled which I believe was a Thurs or Fri

Is there no way your mum cant speak to her work? Im sure many work places would be understanding and let her have the time off at short notice if they appreciated it is a one off and important reason

Hi Sam

Try your MP by email. They can be very helpful.