ESA face to face assessment

Hi All

Hope everyone is well.

A quick plea for guidance.

My mum has an appointment for a face to face assessment re ESA. I think this is the annual check they always seem to do - ATOS used to do it. My mum is currently in the work placed activity group.

The appointment is due for Monday 3 April 2017 but my mum is actually out the country as a very close relative passed away abroad and she has gone there. She is not due back until second week of May.

I understand you can only rearrange an appointment once but given how long my mum will be away - what are people's thoughts re strategy on approaching this?? Will they rearrange for when she is back?

Is the fact she is away for more than 4 weeks an issue?

Your help and guidance is much appreciated.

Gordon

Thank you for the reply.

I guess an issue has been caused by my mum being away!!!

If being abroad is a good cause for not going to the appointment, do i just call them to inform that my mum is abroad? I am not sure if just missing the appointment and hoping the second appointment is for a date when she is back is worth the risk?

Simply not turning up for the first appointment is likely to see the file returned to DWP and the claim closed, without a second appointment being given.

Thank you once again for your reply.

I guess the best course of action will be to call the face to face assessment providers tomorrow to inform them my mum is unable to attend due to her being out of the country for a family bereavement.

I am trying to see if my mum can get back earlier from abroad but i guess they will send the case back to the DWP regardless.

Is it worthwhile calling the DWP to explain to them what has happened or just the face to face assessment providers?

My mum is due back in early May, so within the next 5/6 weeks.