ESA reassessment - home visit request plus timing

Hi,
I am being reassessed for ESA and got the appointment letter through today for Wed 13th Aug. They have completely ignored my and my GP's requests for a home visit. I wondered what I can/should do about this? When I went for my PIP assessment last year, the journey and lack of adaptions to my needs (no where for me to lie down, despite this request being all over my assessment form) made me so unwell they aborted the assessment and insisted on doing a home visit. I was awarded enhanced mobility and daily living and the person who assessed me then told me to make sure that I ask for a home assessment when any ESA reassessment comes around. Not sure how much more evidence I need!

I also am wondering 1) how far it is possible to delay (ie reschedule) assessment dates? and 2) if you need to stipulate an alternative date at the same time as ringing up to say you can't make the date they originally suggested? I would need someone to be present with me for both physical and mental health reasons and none of the people I had on my list as potential supporters are available over the next few weeks. One friend might be available on the odd day sometime from about 2 weeks time, but she is currently on holiday and I can't get hold of her to check.

Thanks, Gordon. My GP said '...needs a home visit to assess her ESA status, she cannot sit upright for extended periods so needs to lie down regularly. She will also be exhausted before she even arrives at the assessment Centre'.

I said in my application 'If I am assessed in person, I will need to be able to lie down throughout the assessment and take breaks to deal with my physical needs and concentration problems. I can't sit upright for extended periods and the first attempt at a PIP assessment a few months ago was cancelled on my arrival because they were unable to meet my needs at a test centre. The assessor who conducted the home visit advised me to request a home assessment for any future ESA one, which my GP and OT have supported. I have great challenges with travelling (see appropriate sections within this form), and trying to do so exacerbates my health problems at the time and for days afterwards.'

Extra info, all of which is within my assessment form, is that I attend GP appointments and counselling appointments in person, but the GP centre is literally a 5 min drive away, I take a mat to lie down on in appointments because I can't cope with sitting upright on a chair and I often need assistance from someone to walk to the carpark just outside the health centre because I often have difficulty walking, especially on uneven surfaces. I do regularly attend counselling appointments in person, 10 - 15 car journey minutes away, but I find this journey difficult (I have to tip the seat back and put my feet up to cope) and also always lie down for anything between 10-25 mins before my counselling appointment in order to recover from the journey (my counsellor opens her room especially for me to do this). I also lie down for much/ most of every counselling session due to problems with my autonomic nervous system and blood pooling in my limbs (I have medical evidence for this). I also usually need to hold onto someone to walk back to the car, because my balance is much worse after I have exerted myself with anything that involves concentration, stress and/or sitting more upright than usual for longer than usual.

The OT appointments I have are phone ones because I can't travel to see her (although this fact is less relevant because she is a specialist OT based further away than any ESA assessment centre)

On the basis of the above, do you think their decision not to offer me a home visit is challengable and, if so, how? When I got a face to face appointment for my PIP assessment last year, I originally thought it would be a good thing because I'd definitely be and look ill from the travelling (my condition fluctuates and also isn't always visible), this was the case, but the reality was I was too ill to cope with any of the assessment and so they sent me home! And still reassessed me later.

Thanks for the advice re timing of rescheduling. That's helpful.

Thanks for the advice, Gordon. Unfortunately, my MP is someone whose politics indicate he thinks the welfare cuts and general DWP policy are still too generous, if anything, so a very unlikely ally.