Letter asking to attend ESA assessment

Hi,

I have just today recieved a letter asking me to attend a medical assessment regarding my ESA re-assessment which I submitted around 6 months ago. I am claiming mainly due to my anxiety and agoraphobic condition and stated this many times in my form and said I would not be able to attend a face to face assessment.

The local assessment centre is in the city centre which I couldn't attend and haven't even been to my local town centre for over 7 years, I am not sure how to tackle this in response. Who do I contact? Should it be the benefits office that deals with my claim or the assessment centre. Can anybody advise on what steps to take next in telling them it would be impossible for me to attend and how I should approach this?

Also what happens to my benefits if I cannot attend my assessment at all, at what point would they say cut it or take it off me? I'm so very worried about it if anyone can help it will be greatly appreciated.

Best Wishes.

Hi Kate,

I am sorry that you are going through so much anxiety.

You will need to contact Maximus to get this appointment rearranged in any way. Would you be able to cope with a home assessment? You would need a letter from your GP explaining why you cannot attend the assessment centre and, even then, it is still entirely down to Maximus to decide whether they will allow this. However, it might be possible and you will never know if you don't ask.

Otherwise, you can phone up and ask if there is a centre nearer to you then rearrange the appointment.

The claimant is allowed to rearrange an appointment just once without problems but must then attend the next one otherwise they run the risk of the file being returned to DWP and the claim closed.

If you go, then you are proving that you have no condition! simple as that! You absolutely must get a Doctors note by phone to your surgery. You really need history of not being able to go out at all and trips to appointments or doctors surgeries will prove that your condition is not serious enough.
A doctors letter will exempt you from going , they will come to you at home.

nosnibro wrote: A doctors letter will exempt you from going , they will come to you at home.

I'm afraid this is not the case. A doctor's letter will considerably strengthen your case but home visits are still at the discretion of the assessment provider.

Thank you all for your replies, I have a supporting letter from my doctor which states it would be impossible for me to attend and she also stated the difficulties I have had in attending any appointment related circumstances and also included info about other health issues which are under investigation and advised a home visit.

I sent this letter to both Maximus and the centre that deals with my claim but unfortunately the letter sent to Maximus is being refused a signature and I am unsure why, I will have to re send and hope they recieve it, the only problem is this contains the original letter signed by the doctor and I would now have to send a copy.

Can anyone give any advice on what could happen next? How long before I get a response and what should I do about the current appointment they have me booked in for? Should I ring the appointment desk and explain I have sent in a letter?

Any advice is greatly appreciated, many kind regards.