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ESA Medical

jkennjkenn Member Posts: 2 Listener
in Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Hi
I am in ESA support and won a tribunal four years ago.  I have been to many medicals.  I received the ESA50 form over Christmas and lost a week, but sent it on time.  I have only been able to get my doctors letter today as my GP retired.  I will submit it, but it's too late as the face to face assessment has already been arranged.

Can I ask for a reassessment of the ESA form including my doctors note and reiterating nothing has changed since The tribunal Hearing.  The reason I ask is because i know what will happen as the last doctor even said sorry to me at the assessment, he knew i was too ill to work, but I could look him the eye and lift my arm etc...  This meant going to the job centre  when I was too ill, appealing and just going through the mill and I am not sure I can go through it all again.  I would like someone to really look at my claim form and hopefully make a decision I do not need another medical assessment.

Any advice much appreciated as my local advice centre near Streatham has closed.

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Replies

  • poppy123456poppy123456 Member Posts: 22,218 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi,

    Do you mean can you ask for a paper based assessment, rather than a re-assessment? If so then most people have face to face assessments. If you send in enough of evidence that proves how your conditions affect you then sometimes a paper based assessment is done but this is rare. There's certainly no harm in ringing the assessment centre to ask but you maybe refused. If they say they don't have enough of evidence to do the paper assessment then i'm afraid you'll have to attend the assessment. Failing to attend and they'll find you fit for work and your ESA will stop.

    I know it's very worrying and stressful, having recently been through this myself but we all have to have them, sadly. Good luck and hopefully you'll have a decision in your favour this time.
    Community champion and proud winner of the 2019 empowering others award. This award was given for supporting disabled people and their families for the benefit advice i have given to members here on the community.
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  • wildlifewildlife Member Posts: 1,314 Pioneering
    edited February 2019
    Hi jkenn, It is never too late to send in any evidence especially as you haven't had your Face to Face yet. You can take a copy of your Doctor's letter and send it to the Assessment Provider and it should be added to any other evidence already sent and used by the assessor. My son is in the Support group and had an assessment yesterday. My hubby went with him as his carer. they were only in half and hour and my son never made eye contact as he doesn't anyway but was advised not to. The assessor was very nice but we'll see what his report says. Hope you have a straight forward journey through this review. I questioned having to have a face to face and not a paper review and the reply was most people are called in these days. It's the AP who decides who needs a F to F so difficult to argue against I think. Maybe others will have a view on this. You can cancel one assessment or more if you have good reason to give more time for your GP's letter to get there. Hope that helps....
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