ESA Home Visit

Hi, I have suffered from severe ME since the early 90's and have been receiving Incapacity Benefit since 1995 after I was forced to give up my job as a result of my health.
I am now going through the transition from IB to ESA. I handed in my forms at the beginning of October 2011 and was called for a medical on 3rd November 2011. I arrived in a dreadful state with my carer and waited for my appointment at 4.15pm, only to be told that they were running about an hour behind and that my appointment would have to be rescheduled as there was nobody available to see me. They could see how ill I was and suggested that a Home Visit would be more appropriate. My appointment with a doctor is due to take place next Tuesday between 12pm and 1pm. Has anyone else had this experience?. I've had quite a few very negative experiences in the past with doctors employed with the Benefits Agency with regards to DLA (which I no longer get), and am therefore, frankly, dreading having these people in my home.

Does anyone have information on ESA home visits?.

molaine wrote:

Does anyone have information on ESA home visits?.

Hi M,

You should be aware of all the same issues apparent with a DLA Home Medical, with an ESA Home Medical, in other words the HCP may look around, take any adaptations into account etc.

It is helpful to have some one present, and to even take notes.

If you look at page 63 onwards of the :

Employment and Support Allowance claims on physical health grounds: a guide to the work capability assessment.

Or page 67 onwards of the :

Employment and Support Allowance claims for Mental Health and Learning Difficulties: a guide to the limited capability for work assessment.

Both accessible from this link :

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/help-for-claimants/esa

It tells you how to prepare for a medical, and questions that you may be asked.

The HCP will probably not use the LiMa software at a home medical, it will most likely be done as a paper exercise.

You may wish to look at guidelines given also for a DLA home medical from here :

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/help-for-claimants/dla/#dlamedicals

As even though it is a totally different allowance with different criteria, similar implications will apply as in the HCP being in your home.


bro58

Really appreciate the reply Bro58. I have been on Incapacity Benefit since 1995 for severe ME. Got my first phonecall for ESA towards the end of August 2011, the forms followed in just over a week and were returned on October 3rd 2011. I got called for a medical on November 3rd 2011, despite detailed ESA forms and a letter from my GP about "substantial risk to my health etc". My carer was with me. They were running an hour late with the appointments and said there was no one to see me and that my appointment would have to be rescheduled for 2-3 weeks. They volunteered a Home Visit for me as they could see how ill i was and didn't want to ask me to come back in to the centre. At first i was relieved that they thought it was appropriate for me to have a home visit, but now i'm really dreading it because of the many negative experiences that i've had in the past with doctors assessing me on behalf of the Benefits Agency for DLA. I wonder now if it might have been less stressful agreeing to go back into the centre, despite the severity of my condition.

Hi M,

Just be aware of the implications of the ATOS HCP being in your home, and how they can draw conclusions and assume things.

On the positive side, ATOS are generally most reluctant to grant ESA Home Assessments, many people have been unsuccessful in obtaining one.

Hopefully they have realised the extent of your limitations.

bro58

Thanks Bro58. Both myself and my carer will have to consider carefully what those implications are of having the ATOS Doctor in my home. The last thing i need is for them to make assumptions and draw the wrong conclusions. I was beginning to wonder how reluctant ATOS was about granting Home Visits, as i haven't seen many questions and answers about them on the forum. I hope they have realised the extent of my limitations, my forms were detailed enough, however, many people seem to have obtained the benefit without a medical and i had hoped to avoid one myself.

M