ESA Assessment cancelled by them 3 times!

Hello - wondered if you could give me some help here! Been on ESA a year, and still not had my assessment.. They have cancelled it three times, twice with one and half hours notice on the phone. My conditions have worsened over the intervening year, and was wondering if I can ask them to send me a new ESA50 form, so I can tell them about my worsening conditions - and I also have a new one, thanks to these people, anxiety and depression. When I finally get an assessment , I want them to be aware of my worsening health since I first completed form last year. I am still in the Assessment Phrase after all this time, so just get the basic 73.10.

Am I within my rights to demand a new ESA50 form, or would it be best to write them a letter about my worsening health and new condition - and all the extra medication I am on? . If I write them a letter, do I sent it to Maximus or the DWP?

I would be very grateful for any advice anyone can give me. Many thanks in advance!

Many thanks, Gordon! Much appreciated!

Hello again - well, this just gets better and better - so they cancelled my last appointment, duly waited for another assessment date. Got it this morning - seems if it helps other people the wait time is about a month. Anyway, two letters through my letter box - one giving me new appointment time, and the other one cancelling it! YET AGAIN! That's the fourth time! Better than getting a phone call, or actually getting to one of them, only for them to call me to cancel. Ipaid my friend £40 for her to drive me there ( she had to take time off work!) Anyone know how to claim this back?

In the meantime, as per my previous post: will write to Maximus asking for a new ESA50. I have drafted it already, but am I right in thinking that because a year has elapsed since I submitted original one, and my conditions have worsened ( partly due to the stress of dealing with these incompetent people!) I can state that I will refuse any appointment for assessment until they have received my new ESA50. I know they can sanction you if you don't attend!

But do I have the actual right to say that I will not attend an assessment until they have received my new ESA50? I am sure I read somewhere on this really helpful site that it is my duty to inform them of any worsening of conditions or my new ones! Just trying to get my legal rights sorted out to tell them I won't be going to any assessment until they have received my new ESA50. Do you think that sounds about right, wording-wise?

Many thanks for any help!

Thank you for that sage advice, Gordon. I've already posted it - recorded. I didn't say would refuse to go to assessment - I just said ' whilst waiting for them to send me new ESA50, I 'shouldn't like' to attend an assessment without them 'having full knowledge of my illnesses, and which ' I believe is my duty to keep you fully informed'.

That they close claims down for non-attendance is disgraceful, but thanks for making me aware. Shall keep you updated for the benefit of others who may be in the same boat - but I bet they send me another assessment before waiting for me to return the new ESA50. What a terribly unfair and unjust system this is - the wait calls to get through..... don't get me started on my rant! I keep a sense of humour ( just about !) about it, but what a waste of tax-payers money to send me two letters this morning, once with an date, the other cancelling it! Seems they are very inefficient! Ok, well, thank you once again for creating this extremely helpful site! Shall keep you posted! Have a nice evening!