Confused, why a face to face this time ?

Thanks Bro, will do that.

Hi, I had an medical due early next week and I sent supporting letters which they received this morning.
I have just found out they have cancelled that medical next week to give them time to look at the letters. I said it has been cancelled once and the person said ' I have cancelled it and you are only allowed to cancel once but we can cancel anytime'.

they will contact me in writing and to give them a week.

Is this normal?
Would they contact the letter writers?
Asked because they are all away now - no arrangement , just happened this way!

Evelyn wrote: Hi, I had an medical due early next week and I sent supporting letters which they received this morning.
I have just found out they have cancelled that medical next week to give them time to look at the letters. I said it has been cancelled once and the person said ' I have cancelled it and you are only allowed to cancel once but we can cancel anytime'.

they will contact me in writing and to give them a week.

Is this normal?
Would they contact the letter writers?
Asked because they are all away now - no arrangement , just happened this way!

Hi E,

This may be an indication that they are considering either allowing you a Home Assessment, or carrying out the assessment on paper alone, without the need for a face to face.

We have come across such scenarios before, where the claimant has provided further supportive evidence after a face to face has been arranged.

I can't give a definitive answer as to whether they would contact the authors of the letters or not.

bro58

Thanks bro.

Anyone out there have had experience of their supporting evidence providers being contacted?

I need to know to prepare these people though they have put it in the letters that they will be away until such and such time or will be available from such and such date..

Evelyn wrote: Thanks bro.

Anyone out there have had experience of their supporting evidence providers being contacted?

I need to know to prepare these people though they have put it in the letters that they will be away until such and such time or will be available from such and such date..

Hi E,

Going on personal experience, and from information gleaned from members on the forum, ATOS seldom contact Consultants or other HCP's.

They sometimes send an ESA113 Questionnaire to a claimant's G.P.

With regards to ATOS contacting friends, relatives, carers, etc who have provided letters of support, again I am personally not aware of any of the above that were contacted.

Of course, this does not mean that it cannot happen.

As a precaution, it may be advisable to alert any of the above that they "May" be contacted.

Other members are free to relay their own experiences regarding this if they wish to.

bro58

Thanks bro. I will prepare them anyway. But if anyone out there has concrete experience of friends being contacted please let me know.

I asked in preparation as these people have taken their time to sit down and write these letters and I do not wish them to spend more time on these things.

I would rather give up the benefits if it is going to trouble them as unlike the GP and Consultants they do not have huge salaries to 'compensate' them for their troubles, not that they are unwilling to help me. It is just so difficult for them as they are not used to writing and I cannot tell them how to in case I put the words in their mouth.

Really the stress that this has given me I sometimes wish I could chuck it all in except for my friends telling me to carry on fighting.