( ESA) reassesment

NeilB

Good Morning,

Im looking for some support and advise please.

I currently receive ESA and I'm in the support group, on the 25/03/2020 which is over 18 months ago I completed a ESA 50 form and posted it back to the DWP which gave an update of my disabilities which have unfortunately deteriorated since my original assessment.
During the last 18 months my conditions have worsened, towards the end of September 2021 I received a letter from the health assessment advisory service asking me to attend and an assessment in York which is over 70 miles from my home address.
From the information they already hold they know one of my disabilities is chronic cluster headaches so I wouldn't be able to make this journey having numerous attacks each day.
I rang, explained the situation and requested a telephone Assesment and advised them that I my conditions had worsened and I had more medical evidence to forward which I have done.
The following week I received another letter from the same advisory service requesting another assessment in the same building just a week later, I rang back again.
I was advised by a rude and horrible gentleman that if I didn't attend my ESA would stop, I was horrified and tried to explain the situation again.
I rang back and this time spoke to a kind lady who gave me a different telephone number as she advised the people I needed to speak to didn't work weekends and that I need to ring back on Monday.
After a dreadful weekend I rang and spoke the appropriate department who advised that a telephone Assesment had been arranged but as yet they didn't have a date, I was asked to leave it a while and I would be informed by letter.
Since then Ive rang back twice and gotten the same answer, this waiting is really affecting my already poor mental health.
I can't understand if they can arrange a face to face appointment within a week why can't they do the same for a telephone one.
This has been going on for over a month now as the original appointment letter was dated the 22/09/2021.

Neil.

janer1967

Hi and welcome to the community. 
U understand your frustration 

There is a longer wait for telephone assessment as there are more of them to do 

F2f have only started back up recently and are done for those unable to have phone assessment or that the assessment provider thinks a f2f is required 

NeilB

Hello,
Thank you for your quick response, that makes sense.
it would be nice for the health assessment advisory service to give an explanation and for some of there advisers not to be so cruel and threatening.

poppy123456

HI,

You're already in the Support Group so you can't be placed into a higher group. Your Support Group award is ongoing, which means it continues until a new decision's been made on your review.

Backlogs for assessments are huge, which is why you're waiting so long.

Once a date becomes available they will contact you. Providing they can get enough of extra information from just the telephone assesment they will, otherwise a face to face assessment maybe needed, as sometimes this can happen. 70 miles from home is a long way to travel and they shouldn't expect you to have to travel that far. If the worst happens and they can't get enough information through the telephone assessment then you're within your rights to ask for the assessment closer to home.

The Helath Assessment Advisory Service do WCA and you can find your nearest centre here.

https://www.chdauk.co.uk/find-your-assessment-centre

Tori_Scope

Hi @NeilB I hope that the above comments have been helpful in understanding the process a bit better? 

You mentioned that your mental health has worsened a bit. I was just wondering whether you're receiving enough support for your mental health at the moment? 

NeilB

Hi, Yes the comments have helped a little, but the long waiting still affect my anxiety levels as lots of shall I say untruths were told in my first assessment by the health assessor.
Citizen Advice made an official complaint to the DWP and it was held again this time with a advocate as well. 

This time it was done properly and to an acceptable standard, so as you can hopefully understand I’m quite terrified of the same happening again as now I don’t personally don’t trust these people.
I'm currently receiving counselling from the charity Mind and this is helping me, I have another session tomorrow.

Best Wished,

Neil.

Tori_Scope

Of course, it's understandable that you'd been feeling worried @NeilB. Fingers crossed it'll all work out okay!

It's great to hear that you're receiving some counselling now, and that you're finding it helpful I hope the session today goes well.