ESA assessment

Your wonderful guides helped me to get into the ESA support group. Thanks a million.
Now I have my 1st f2f assessment next week & asked for it to be postphoned as want/need a home assessment. Atos said they need a gp lettter before it can be postphoned & then upto 3 weeks only of telling them. The gp receptionist last week said my regular gp is on leave & not back in time to write it. They only give apptts in 2 weeks time & don’t do home visits or phone consultations so can’t help me! I’m wondering:
1. Am I entitled/ have a (legal) right to posphone itt once or can Atos force me to attend next week?
2. If I can get a sick note for next week will I still have to attend it?
3. If I can get a appt to see my gp (who quite unsupportive) & he requests a home assessment, who is it forward to – Atos/ DWP/ both?
4. By fax/email/both?
5. What are their contact details please?
Sorry for all the questions, getting extremely anxious, any info much appreciated.

Hi,

Welcome to Benefits and Work

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I will try to answer your queries :

1. You are allowed to rearrange a face to face "medical" Once.

You do not need a G.P. letter or fit/sick note to rearrange, and should be able to do this by contacting ATOS by e-mail via the direct link under WCA Customer Service: to the right of this page : www.atoshealthcare.com/claimants

I recommend e-mail so that you have a written record of your request, and that ATOS have agreed to rearrange, if that is the case.

2. A "sick note" in itself is not necessary, as previously advised. Remember you are already classed as "unfit for work and work related activity" in that you are deemed to have Limited Capability for Work Related Activity. (in the SG)

Unless you can gain written confirmation from ATOS that they are to rearrange, and you do not have to attend the current appointment, failure to attend "without good cause" may result in your ESA payments ceasing.

3. ATOS generally state that G.P.'s should FAX them with such letters of support regarding a claimant's inability to attend a "medical".

I would imagine that your G.P. practice will have ATOS's FAX details, although you could request them when you contact ATOS.

4. & 5. See above.

So you have been misinformed, you are allowed to rearrange once with ATOS, see this extract :

"Unable to attend an assessment.

Please contact us as soon as possible if you are unable to attend your assessment. If your appointment is for a Work Capability Assessment we can rearrange your appointment on one occasion. If you are unable to attend for a second time the DWP ask us to issue you with a form, on which you can explain the circumstances to the DWP."

From this page : www.atoshealthcare.com/claimants/before_your_assessment

bro58

Thanks so much for your wise words bro58.
My advocate didn’t email but called Atos & they cancelled the appt. for one later. Huge relief…
Forgot about their fax no. do you have it please as too anxious to call them (in case gp say they don’t have it) as she also gott me gp appt?
Atos also said it can’t be recorded! So can I use my own equipment to audio record it due to poor memory & concention? If yes, do I have to get Atos consent?
Cheers.