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Esa medical

lorraine28
lorraine28 Community member Posts: 7 Listener
My freind has just had his esa stopped i he couldn't attend a medical because his father passed away the day before his medical  I phoned them to explain his situation and was told they would send him a form to fill in he done that telling them about the death of his father he got a letter yesterday saying that wasn't a good enough reason for not attending he suffers from mental health problems and this could tip him over the edge also he could lose his home

Comments

  • lorraine28
    lorraine28 Community member Posts: 7 Listener
    Has anyone got any advice what he could do
  • Pippa_Alumni
    Pippa_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,793 Disability Gamechanger
    Goodness, I'm so sorry to hear about your friend's experience @lorraine28, and particularly that it wasn't deemed an acceptable reason- I can only imagine how frustrating that must have been to find out. 

    I wonder if @CockneyRebel/ @Username_removed can advise on what the next steps should be?
  • lorraine28
    lorraine28 Community member Posts: 7 Listener
  • CockneyRebel
    CockneyRebel Community member Posts: 5,209 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi lorraine and welcome

    Your friend should ask for a mandatory reconsideration but I would advise getting help from CAB as this does seem to be a very harsh decision

    CR
    Be all you can be, make  every day count. Namaste
  • lorraine28
    lorraine28 Community member Posts: 7 Listener
    Thankyou you have both been a great help
  • Colourfull
    Colourfull Community member Posts: 59 Courageous
    @Lorraine 28,

    This Is a Completley Poor Exuse from the People who do the assesments of Course it' a Valid reason not to attend how dare they say it wasn' t good enough.

    Colourfull.
  • lorraine28
    lorraine28 Community member Posts: 7 Listener
    My freind got in touch with esa  and he can't get paid until he shows them his dad's death certificate
  • sleepy1
    sleepy1 Community member Posts: 297 Pioneering
    Hi Lorraine, this is a dreadful way to treat someone whilst they are going through such a traumatic time.  It is lovely that he has a caring friend like you to help him.

    I agree with Mike this decision needs to be reversed as soon as possible to save your friend from further stress and losing his home.  Ask to speak to the decision maker to find out what the assessment company have said, you will probably be told that you will receive a call back within 24 hours and they may need your friend to give his permission before they can speak to you.  By doing this alone  may prompt them to look at the case in more detail and reconsider without your friend having to go through the rigmarole of a mandatory reconsideration and the appeal process.  Perhaps if you could send them some evidence that might help.

    If you do end up having to go down the MR/Appeal route get it done asap because from memory I think once you start the appeal your friend would receive ESA payments at what they call an appeal rate (unless this has now changed). 

    I had my PIP award cancelled last year because (as they put it) I failed to attend an assessment, the reason being was they had organised a taxi to collect me and it did not arrive.  When I spoke to the DM they said the assessment center (Atos) had denied organizing the taxi and I had rang them from my mobile having got my own taxi to say I would be late but was on my way, which was all lies.  The DM just said send me some evidence from the taxi company! To which I replied that would be very difficult saying I was not the one who ordered the invisible taxi, ask Atos which taxi company they booked it with. 
    Was called a liar because apparently Atos never organize taxis to people attending assessments.  My word was not good enough so ended up having to go on another farce of a journey, but a few weeks after sending in my appeal I received a letter from the tribunal service saying my appeal had been cancelled at the DWPs request, my award was reinstated and a back payment made. 
    They then sent me more review forms to complete and another assessment date, on speaking to Atos about my new appointment (who never organize taxis) they apparently have organized a taxi to collect me!!

    Sorry for waffling on, just wanted you to have a bit more insight of the "mistakes" that are often made.

    Hope all goes well for your friend and he gets his ESA benefit back soon.

    Hugs to you both X Rosie


  • dee4848
    dee4848 Community member Posts: 256 Pioneering
    @lorraine28 soon has your friend gets the certificate hopefully gets sorted 
  • lorraine28
    lorraine28 Community member Posts: 7 Listener
    Thanks a lot for both of your comments xx

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