I think it can depend on each case as i got mine which covers 11 years yet my DH only got his for 3 years so each case is different

What actually happens if you do not attend an ESA face to face assessment? I have a valid reason and am currently in the process of trying to get a home visit (My GP Has been very supportive regarding this).

Due to my condition I simply cannot attend, the centre is 20 miles away (so according to the rules I can make it and cannot get a home visit on this alone).

I know that if I don't attend my money will be stopped pretty much asap I'm guessing. But do I get to appeal it or what? In hope for a rescheduled date or try yet again for a home visit

Nowadays they want proof, so a GP letter is the only way. Even that isn't a guarantee

Thankfully managed to change the date (can't do Monday) of my assessment. They did say they'll try and be there as close to the appointment time.

What a load of crap. The letter sent to me this morning still says between 10.30am and 12.30pm. Because of course, I have nothing better to do than spend possibly two hours waiting around.

And yes, I do understand delyas happen; but 2 hours really?

They know my situation as well which they've chosen to ignore completely.

Sometimes assessments take 30 minutes some take 90 minutes, one I know of took 3 hours! There is just no way of knowing and although assessors try to stick to a reasonable timescale they have to get all the information they need. There is also of course the need to include travel time, sometimes this is a significant distance and possible delays on the way. Frustrating but necessary

I understand that. But I can't understand why, when they know my situation why it's so difficult for them to be quite a more specific.

I've now sent a complaint off to them and DWP. It's clear they've not listened to a word I've said.

I did read the letter again just in case I'd misread it. But they clearly said someone will arrive at mine somewhere between 10.30 and 12.30pm.

I am due a health assessment on Monday.

Been told today my appointment cannot be rescheduled as it has been once before. It's not even that I want a new appointment, I am just waiting for my GP to contact the centre with my medical records. But nope, they won't have it.

Looks like I'll be starving come next week then.

Personally, I don't think being given a two hour slot is too bad. It's not as though you've got to wait in a whole day, or even half a day.
It must be better than being given a specific time and then they turn up late through being delayed by traffic or a previous client. They probably visit a number of clients in a day.

I rang the DWP off my own back to seek any further advice in regards to waiting for the assessment centre to receive my GP records (bearing in mind I am no longer entitled to a new appointment and the app is monday) and had to make the call twice.

First call, a man answered, sounded quite miserable but heyho, explained (he didn't ask for my NI number or name or anything) he said "hold on...if you've been given your appointment date then there's no two ways about it, that's the date you have to attend". I proceeded to say that he isn't aware of what condition or illness I currently have so how can he possibly say that? He then hung up on me.

I rang back, got a lovely lady who put a note in my file regarding the wait for medical records and some other advice she gave.

The difference.

It's a problem as someone with Autism who also has to organise someone (who lives about 20 miles away) to come down and be with them. According to my MP, I've misunderstood the letter. I've read the letter several times and checked with someone whose understanding of English is better than mine. They've come to the same conclusion as I have.

They have finally changed it to 9am Wednesday. Why, knowing my situation, they couldn't have done that in the first place, I really I don't know.

The GP cannot contact the assessment centre with records, there is no facility for that to happen. Whoever told you that is stringing you along.
The dwp will send a form to your gp , your gp night or might not fill out for the fee of £37. In my experience they usually get returned blank or with 'I don't know' with regard to daily tasks

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news

I think you are wrong. I have had countless people in the last few months telling me that my medical information wasn't substantial enough for a home visit (hence me having to keep providing more by visiting the GP). If that's the case, Wouldn't I have had to have paid £37 each time these records were looked at?

You dont pay. The GPs charge the DWP £37

I worked in assessment center. No medical information is sent direct to the center.
It is sent direct to the DWP who scan it and put it on your records. However its amazing (sarcasm) how often this doesn't happen.

Hello

I'm new to this thread. My husband has epilepsy and chronic facial pain and has been receiving DLA for some years. Medication doesn't help much in controlling both the partial and tonic clonic seizures. This morning, we received a letter saying he has scored zero on his assessment. It's like they haven't listened to a word we said. We told them there is no warning of seizures, they said there is. We told them he cant go anywhere on his own, they said he can travel on his own on public transport. They also said there's nothing there to actually cause the seizures even though we sent evidence from the epilepsy clinic that MRI scans picked up what's causing them. And they said he can bathe himself without supervision even though I have to be with him so he doesn't get hurt if he has a seizure in the bath. He has scars all over his head from when he's fallen. You can't miss them and I did point them out. I even have a photo of him on the bathroom floor. I also have holes in a couple of doors where he's fallen into them.

I don't know what I'm going to do. I've rung them and asked them to look at the claim again on the grounds that it's full of contradictions. They said it could take at least nine weeks to get round to it.

I don't know how we're going to cope. He's not suddenly had a miracle cure with these results. I've also lost carers allowance. He's not allowed to drive and ride a bike so we rely on taxis or his travel companion pass to get anywhere. Not that we dare go very far, no further than the local town together or his regular appointments for fear of being stranded when he becomes ill. We have nobody around us who can help. it's down to me alone to keep him safe.

I just can't understand why they've done this. I'm devastated they haven't listened and I can't stop crying. The sheer volume of medication he takes is shocking and doesn't help him fully understand what' happening half the time.

Sorry this might be a bit rambling but I'm in a bit of a state. Thanks for listening.

Sorry to hear that.

If you haven't done so already, you need to get help from CAB. If he's on medication, (I take epilepsy medication for migraine and have issues with the side effects - including permanent hearing loss) that would also be relevant.

I had my assessment yesterday and had my friend with me. That was interesting.

What you have said in your post sounds exactly what their report said about me. In fact almost word for word.
My mandatory reconsideration came back 0 for both (was on enh car, std mob) so I am awaiting a tribunal hearing.
If you have more evidence send it in, although I swear they don't look at them. Mine showed evidence and it was ignored as far as I can tell. I sent in a piece of evidence that showed a mri showed normal, but my surgeon agreed to operate again and tendinitis and frozen shoulder was diagnosed on the operating table and treated accordingly. The DWP ignored the part of the surgeon operating and just said the mri shows normal, therefore I was lying.
Now 3 years on the frozen shoulder was fixed, but the tendonitis was only partially fixed (also have arthritis so shoulder will never be right)

First thing, take a deep breath and process all they have said.
Call dwp back and ask for a copy of the ato/capita report and say you will be writing a reconsideration. Do not agree to a phone call reconsideration if they offer as it will be done on evidence already sent in, which dwp have decided is your surgeons etc are not correct.
Go through the report and pick apart everything is wrong, who cares if you write 5 pages of inaccuracies, write it all down. Send it recorded and await their response.
If its not as you want then its tribunal for you.

Thank you for your advice. I'll phone DWP again. I've contacted the epilepsy clinic who are sending a more in depth letter about his symptoms and care needs, I have a benefits advice agency with a high level of success phoning me on Monday and I'm waiting for a call from a carers charity. I'm also going to look into how epilepsy action can help.

He's actually taking Gabapentin for his facial pain, With Lamictal and Keppra at the maximum amount they dare subscribe him for his epilepsy. He was on Amitriptyline for his face pain but it clashed with his epilepsy medication.

I was so shocked at the amount of zeros on his letter. Not one point was granted. It's almost as if they've wiped out his illness and said it doesn't exist. It's just wrong. The whole thing needs overhauling.

Have you gone through the descriptors to see where he scores points? He needs 8 for standard and 12 for enhanced.

Appeal the decision & do it right away not only by phone but put it in writing & recorded delivery
Spoke to my son who use to work for Capital not on this side but tagging early release prisons anyway he said they earn commission on every one they reject not saying this happen but i would say Appeal everytime

I did go to the link elsewhere on this thread and with my result, it came back as highest care and standard mobility. Which is about what he was receiving on DLA. High care and low mobility.

Someone must have had a nice pay rise this week then! It'll be costing more to pay ATOS etc, than it would to just give people who need it the help they need.

And I don't know who typed the letter, but their grammar was some of the worst I've seen!

Gabapentin alone can cause unsteadiness, drowsiness and problems walking. I take it and I also have problems coming downstairs due to the tablets with my spacial awareness (I can't judge where the step actually is in relation to my foot)
You should also make them aware of ANY side effects and of course the clashes

We made them aware at the assessment about the effects he was getting from the Gabapentin and the other meds. When I filled the form in, he was on amitriptyline so we took his gabapentin medication with us to the assessment and she typed it all down in front of us. It's almost as if they've assessed someone else and sent us the wrong letter.

ATOS assessors do NOT get commission on rejected claims as the assessors do not make the final decision.

With regards to EPILEPSY. The descriptors and criteria for scoring has been altered numerous times leading to confusion between assessors/auditors/decision makers.

With regards to bathing and epilepsy and PIP, Nobody with epilepsy should be bathing and should be showering, which according to the DWP they can do without supervision and with a shower attachment if needs be. (this is one of the descriptors that was changed) The assessors argued that this was wrong as falling in a shower is equally as dangerous. The DWPs opinion is that at least they won't drown! Unbelievable.

The main issue with epilepsy is the criteria that the condition must affect the claimant 50% or more of the time. It would be highly unusual for someone to be experiencing seizures this often. The problem with PIP is it doesnt take into account RISK

Please ensure that the DWP has scanned all documents into the claim, youd be amazed how often this doesnt happen, leaving the assessor without evidence to refer to.

https://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/ben...e-payments-pip