New Style ESA Credits

Hi,

Just thought I would share my experience thus far applying for ESA Credits.

I submitted my ESA50 3 months late due to personal problems. I kept submitting further as I receieved it. I was asked to attend a F2F appointment by letter on 9/6/26 however declined due to mobility issues submitted with the form. I was then given a telephone assesment for this week 15/6/26

I expected that when I got the call I was talking to my assesor as that was what the appointments confirmed their name. However they were admin and that was just to take me through security and had to wait around 15 mins for somenone to phone me back. Please clariyfy before you proceed that what you've booked for the admin and assesror are aware before you begin. I wouldn't begin as they said i didn't book a recording or a female assesor, they double checked and agreed I was right. When I got the call back I double checked both elements and I hadn't just been given the next abailable assessor irrespective of gender.

The first thing i clarified which alarmend and upset me was the assesor hadn't read my file as only receive them for the appointment! I was told to bear with her for 20-25 mins whilst she reads my files. I asked how long is the appointment due to my fibromyalgia with chronic fatigue I couldn't do long sessions and certantly no like my PIP 2 years ago. I was advised probably 90 mins min but 2 hour or more . I was very upset and overwehlmed and appologised I couldn't accept that as I was asked she carn't proceed unless I commit to the possible duration of the call. She said she has been reading as she talked to me and said there's a lot of evidence in my file. I said I agree and I even included my PIP score and award to help them and it feels like no one has read anything.

To conclude she said she's not going to do the asessment and put me through that but speak to her colleage and put a proposal in the system for a medical person to see if they make a decision on the evidence they
have by paper. I was overwhelmed with gratitude after the stress and anxiety of the call. She explained nothing more today on the phone. She said she couldn't promise but would do her best.

In conclusion, nothing guranteed however this assessor who was a registered nurse was empathetic and could obviously see and read important evidence that answered the questions she would have been asking I can only asume. I will update this post on the outcome.

I hope this helps others not to lose hope going through this long and grueling process of benefit claiming.

thank you

Hi David,
Well it didn't go my way. A decision maker rang me and basically said I need to participate in the Tele assessment or it would go against me. She was not prepared to elaborate on the different things I had been advised from various people one who was an assessor e.g. duration of call 2 hours plus , decision maker said around an hour.
So new appt., booked for 1/7 however <24 hours before assessment received letter in afternoon post saying they had to change the date but gave no explanation. So frustrating as I had been revising. I phoned and asked for explanation as to why they didn't phone me to reschedule as the letter took a while to reach me however no real answer there. They said there was a problem with getting recording appointments and although I had genuinely been booked with recording they they had internal resources issue for appointments. Has anyone else been given an appointment, then lost it due to lack of resources?
I have a new appointment for tomorrow Tuesday 14/7/26 and fingers crossed it goes ahead.
Apparently the NI credits applied to my records they can't take back if I decided to withdraw my application. As much as this process thus far has been draining I decided to not withdraw.

Thank you