Not Sent ESA Assessment Letter

I received a letter asking me why I didn't attend a ESA work capability assessment appointment. It was sent out the day after the WCA appointment. I sent back my ESA50 form a month ago but the DWP have not contacted me until this letter. They did not write to me or phone me about this appointment. When I made my ESA claim I requested written correspondence only.

I now have to explain why I didn't attend this appointment. How can I prove that they didn't contact me about it? When I sent back my ESA50 form I intended to ask for a recorded WCA once I knew the date of the interview. I planned to send the recorded interview request letter in the B&W ESA Guide. I need to know the date of any interview in advance so a friend can go with me.

1. How do I explain that I did not receive a WCA appointment letter or any other contact?
2. Should I include a recorded interview request when I return the letter explaining why I didn't attend the WCA?

I am very worried that the DWP is trying to stop my claim using underhand methods because I have never had a letter go missing like this. I do not trust them.

Thanks for your reply Gordon. I have never had mail go missing. Everyday since I sent in the ESA50 form I have checked the post and my telephone answer machine in case the DWP left a message. Over the last ten years, every single letter from the DWP has arrived except this one. That seems highly suspicious to me.

How do I make a Subject Access Request and where do I send it? I only have the address of the DWP office dealing with my claim. I do not know which Maximus office to contact or even if they were involved because they never contacted me. Should I involve the CAB again given the seriousness of this issue?

I have waited since 2015 for an ESA assessment and now my claim is in jeopardy because I did not receive an WCA appointment letter. It took a huge amount of effort and stress getting help from the CAB, my friends and my GP to make my claim. I followed the B&W ESA Claim Guide properly and now the DWP can just dismiss my illness because a letter didn't arrive.

I went through a PIP assessment last year and was awarded that so why would I go through the stress of applying for ESA and then miss a WCA appointment without, at the very least, contacting them to rearrange? A few months ago the CAB made a complaint on my behalf because of the long delay in assessing me. This seems like payback.

Thanks Gordon. I understand and will get help with the SAR letter.

I'm not sure if this will help my case, but after waiting nearly 18 months for a WCA I went to the CAB two months ago about the delay. They contacted the DWP and got them to agree to assess me. They also sent a letter of complaint about the delay and for any back payments to be made because I am still on the ESA pre-assessment rate.

Do you think this information will help my case in any way? I think it shows that I wanted the assessment and would not miss it without good reason.