Accompanying Husband to ESA Medical

Hi there

My husband has been on Incapacity Benefit for the last 10 years, and is currently transferring to ESA. We have just completed the ESA50 form, and have now been invited to a medical interview. The problem is that my husband will not go without me, and at present I am about to enter a very busy period in work (and I am away from Sunday to the start of September). The busy period at work will last the whole of September virtually (I work in a University and it is now the run up to the new intake). The first letter with an appointment date has just arrived, but the date they give me is not suitable. My question is, if they offer me another date in September that I cannot attend because of work commitments, how often will they let me do this. For example, if the next date they offer me is not possible for me to take, can I ask them to put it off until the end of September, or will they force my husband to choose someone else to attend, as they need the interview to happen within so many weeks of the initial letter going out?

I don't think there is anything written in the regulations but the usual thing is for the claimant to be allowed only one change of appointment.