PIP claim and ESA medical report

Hello Gordon

We have just received today, 20th September, letter for an appointment at home on the 30th September. The health professional will arrive between 9 am and 11 am. We didn't ask for a home consultation. But anyway the problem is that my wife is not usually up and sorted before about 10.30 ish . Do you think it would be okay to ask them to come after 11am so she can be ready? We're both feeling a bit anxious about this.

Regards
Peter w

Hi again
Also whenyou wife filled in the pip form she did explain her routine in the morning and that she is not usually downstairs until about 10.30.am.

Regards
Peter w

Hi

I was wondering if you have any advice about ATOS home visits?

Regards
Peter W

Hi Peter,

The first appointment is usually made by computer, with no reference to the claimant's form!

The claimant is allowed to re-arrange the assessment just once without risking their claim being closed. You can try asking for the assessor to arrive towards the end of the time range but you should ask whether this would be counted as your one allowed change.

Home assessments will be very similar in content to those carried out at an assessment centre. This is explained in the PIP guide.

It is up to the claimant to decide where the assessment should be carried out and who they have with them. The assessor has no more rights than any other visitor to your home, they do not have the right to 'snoop' around the place (nor have we ever heard of them asking to do so). The assessor might turn up on time - they might also arrive early, late or not at all!

Hi Mrs hurtyback

Thank you for your reply. We were wondering is it usual to have a home visit if you haven't requested one?it will definitely be easier for my wife than travelling miles to an assessment centre. It's just that reading on here it seems difficult to get a home visit even if you ask for one. My wife did have a medical for her ESA last March 2015. She ended up having to wait in the car with the seat flat so she could lie down as she had to wait 2 hours as they were running late. The medical was very short as my wife was in so much pain. I was wondering if you knew if they ever look at ESA medical information when looking at the PIP application? (Ps. she was put in the support group after the medical in March 2015. It stated no change '"in the longer term " so we are not sure when her next assessment for ESA will be). She has been on indefinite Dla low care and high mobility for 20years until now). Also sorry to ask more questions , but I am wondering if we should show a copy of that ESA medical as it says " that overall she is likely to have severe functional restriction with mobility " also that "she can walk 10 to 20 yards with significant pain" as I mentioned before the only thing it says which has we disagree with on the ESA medical report is that she doesn't suffer any side effects from her medication which is not the case. I suppose we could point this out?

Thank you so much for your help.

Regards
Peter w

Hi Peter,

Yes, it does seem paradoxical that some people are offered a home assessment without asking when others have to fight hard to get one! However, you should consider this to mean that whoever looked at your wife's form has obviously decided that she has a considerable impairment.

By all means, show the assessor the ESA report as it sounds favourable.