Reassessment

lester wrote: After 18mths in the support group I am being reassessed, My condition, as my Doctors and Consultants have stated will not resolve themselves in the longer term, I have filled out the ESA pack and sent it back with supporting evidence, however on this occasion I have been asked to attend at ESA centre. I informed my GP who was surprised to say the least and has written a report for me to take listing all my problems and stating my need for attended wheelchair assistance. Would it be beneficial to send this report to someone in an attempt to prevent an ATOS examination or should I just turn up in my wheelchair on the day and present the new report. My condition is one which will progressively get worse in time and I just have to adapt myself to that fact and get on with it but it does not help going through all this every 18mths.

Based on your post, there is nothing in this letter that would make ATOS reconsider their decision that an assessment is required, however, it is worth you contacting ATOS as some of their assessment centres are not wheelchair accessible and they may need to change the venue.

As an alternative you can request a home assessment, but your GP will need to specify why you cannot attend at an ATOS building, again, I do not think that your current letter will cover this.

In either case you should give the assessor a copy of your GP's letter at the beginning of the interview and ask them to read it (WCA Handbook 3.1.2).

The requirement for an interview may just be down to an ATOS assessor deciding it is required on this occasion, but you should also be aware, if you are not already, that the ESA Descriptors and Regulations changed at the end of January and this may be why an assessment is now deemed to be required. See our ESA Claim guides

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

Gordon