Telephone assessment, asked for it to recorded and was told they would send out

Hi howsboi,
It does take a while for DWP letters to arrive. It can often take a week!
I think you can have 2 options. You can go ahead with the assessment at the scheduled time. You may never get the letter. Tell the Assessor that you have agreed that an official recording is to be made.
Option 2 is to contact DWP again and tell them no letter has arrived and you want written confirmation the assessment will be recorded. This might mean that the assessment is rearranged. However, make sure that this doesn't somehow get confused by DWP that you are refusing to attend the assessment.
Of course, it is better to simply attend the scheduled assessment, after all you have already organised the CAB advisor which will add further complication if you need to get a new assessment appointment. But, record the assessment yourself. After all you can not be 100% sure that DWP is recording, or thst there won't be an equipment failure mid way through. Record the appointment yourself, it won't matter if you then have your recording as well as the official DWP one.
Be brutally honest at your assessment. Tell it how it really is. Try not to take top up medicine on the day, unless you genuinely need to. If eg you take extra painkillers it will come across that you are comfortable etc. Similarly extra anti anxiety pills will help you to be relaxed etc. However then all the assessor will hear is a relaxed person who appears to be coping easily with the assessment. That is probably not the 'real you' eg who has lots of pain . etc. So the assessor is going to find it more difficult to award points.
If you are uncomfortable, in pain, which might cause breathlessness or the genuine need to get up and ease pain etc, this should come across.
Likewise, if Tuesday is shopping day, or when the family come round. Invite them round as usual, do the shopping. If its a nice day and you fancy a walk do it, even though you might get tired. Some people think that they need to rest up the day before the assessment because it will be a hard day. Yes, there is a logic to that, but then again all the assessor gets is a relaxed well rested person, which is at odds with the fatigued, person unable to do things according to the claim form!
Basically do what ever you usually do the day or morning before and you will present in your normal manner.
Have a few notes with you to remember things to tell the assessor.
If at any time you feel it is getting too much say so and for the assessment to stop. Tell the assessor if you feel anxious, unwell, tired out if breath etc. He won't be able to see you and this may be important.
I know you will be worrying about the assessment. Try not to. Worry can become all consuming, and then every thing, every where gets really difficult.
Be yourself and tell the whole story. This is all you can do.
A couple of days after the assessment ask DWP for a copy of the report (PA4).
If the report isn't accurate, then you have a small window of time to contact DWP and explain the errors before the actual decision is made.
Everyone at B&W will be thinking of you. All our fingers are crossed.
I hope this helps.
LL26
PS don't worry about ranting. This is what we are for!

Hi howsboi,
Glad that you have managed to reschedule. Good luck.
LL26