Changing assessment centre Capita

lucy14

Hi
If I ring and request to change my assessment centre will capita rearrange my appointment there and then on the phone...or send out another date.
I live very close to the Coventry centre and they have sent me an appointment for Birmingham.
Thank you.

wilko

Most likely send another appointment letter, if they are willing to change venues. Doesn’t make sense sometimes what should be common sense doesn’t prevail. If they won’t budge get a taxi there and back and claim your exspences stating why you needed a taxi was due to unfamiliar surroundings and an anxiety about travelling so far alone, you know what I mean. Good luck.

poppy123456

Hi,

You can certainly ask for an appointment in the centre that's closer to you. A lot of the time, first appointments are computer generated so it will give the first available appointment, rather than chose the centre closet to you.

If you need a taxi then you do need to ask for this before the assessment because if you request the expenses on the assessment day they could refuse. Fares for public transport can of course be claimed back without any problems.

lucy14

Hi thanks for your replies..
My friend would drive me there or we could get the train..but it would be to much walking for me as there is no parking or an 8min walk from train station...it's really stressing me thinking about it...
Will give them a ring and see what they say x

poppy123456

Remember that you can only cancel an appointment once, so this will count as a cancellation so think before agreeing to the next one, if they offer you another over the phone.

lucy14

Thanks Poppy so if I don't agree to one over the phone would that count as a cancellation too...
The only time I would have to refuse would be consultant appointment but only got the one before Xmas x

poppy123456

If you ring to cancel the current appointment then it counts.

lucy14

Thank you all...
My friend is going to drive me..
I am going to put a new post up and ask for tips on being dropped off as the nearest car park is a 2 minute walk but I imagine it would not include getting out of the car park and into the building so would be to much for me ...
Or more like an hours walk..🤔

Yadnad

poppy123456 said:

Hi,

You can certainly ask for an appointment in the centre that's closer to you. A lot of the time, first appointments are computer generated so it will give the first available appointment, rather than chose the centre closet to you.

If you need a taxi then you do need to ask for this before the assessment because if you request the expenses on the assessment day they could refuse. Fares for public transport can of course be claimed back without any problems.

But surely the over riding factor in this is that you are required to travel by any means to an assessment centre that is no further away than a 90 minute journey time.


As an example and living in the South East. according  to travel time they should be sending claimants from say Ashford in Kent to London. The train takes 45 mins, so provided that the bit either side (home to station and station to assessment centre would take no more than another 45 mins there is no reason why people living in Ashford cannot be seen in North London a distance of over 100 miles in total. 

poppy123456

Nope, you're still within your rights and you can cancel an appointment once. A lot of people are unable to travel that distance, whether it's physical conditions or otherwise.

Yadnad

Maybe, but according to the contract that the DWP have with their contractors it is permissible for them to simply look at the distance factor only.
No consideration as to whether the claimant can actually make that journey is featured in any of the guidance material.

So in a way the contractors are doing people a favour by allocating a centre nearer to where they live - they are not obliged to agree to such a request.

Yes everyone has the opportunity to cancel the assessment for whatever reason. However if the claimant makes reference to EA 10 on the basis that they are requesting it then the contractor has to comply.

I would also point out that this 'one' only change has no basis in law or legislation.  It is something dreamed up by the DWP. 

mikehughescq

You can cancel more rhan once with good reason and not least if the request is able to be framed in terms of it being an Equality Act 2010. However, it’s as well to remember that EA 10 requests do not require compliance. There are legitimate reasons for refusal. 

lucy14

Thanks for your replies...
I am keeping the appointment my friend is driving me..
Travel time using public transport is just under 90 mins according to their calculations.

Yadnad

lucy14 said:

Thanks for your replies...
I am keeping the appointment my friend is driving me..
Travel time using public transport is just under 90 mins according to their calculations.

….which is within the guidelines.

lucy14

Just lol x

Yadnad

lucy14 said:

Just lol x

…..give or take a minute or two.

lucy14

2 minutes 😁

C_Herath2009

What are exceptional curcumstances (Would a train accident thats landed you in hospital 3 months and given you PTSD ????)Be one i b........Hope so this is turning into more off a nightmare every second i canot go near a train let alone travel to Wembly via one

C_Herath2009

I going to be more than sweating and i would be a jibbering wreck ...Wembly is miles away i live in Kent(further away than Ashford)My Dad he is 80 sugested we go call and collect another form (Until i said it was Wembly)Ekkk 🤦‍♀️

mikehughescq

The point about exceptional circumstances is that if they could be defined then they wouldn’t be exceptional. 

C_Herath2009

Being run over by a high speed train ?And your friend dying saving you?I seriously canot get on a train watching one gives me a Panic Attack so what do i do get them to spell it out to them that i am likely to end up having a nervous Breakdown or get a Taxi?)My Dad is 80 he can't drive to Wembly ..Would kill us both off plus with a stroke the year after i would be stuffed?

mikehughescq

mikehughescq said:

You can cancel more rhan once with good reason and not least if the request is able to be framed in terms of it being an Equality Act 2010. However, it’s as well to remember that EA 10 requests do not require compliance. There are legitimate reasons for refusal. 

Already answered this. Written request for a home visit framed in the above terms.