ESA 18 month wait and 3 Cancelled appointments.

Xith

Hello, I'm currently on the assessment rate for ESA until I complete my WCA.

I sent off the paperwork for the claim back in November 2015, I received an invitation to attend a work capability assessment mid December of 2016, unfortunately this appointment had to be postponed once I requested the appointment be recorded.

Since then a second appointment was scheduled two months later for February, but I received a call on the day of the appointment informing me my assessment had been postponed due to audio equipment not arriving to the centre in time.

I then had a third appointment arranged in March, fortunately this time the audio equipment had arrived and it looked like everything was going to work out.. but several minutes into the interview the recording equipment "failed" and my appointment was postponed once again.

I suffer from severe anxiety and these past 18 months have been absolute torture, I'm almost certain this has all been orchestrated to punish me further, it's complete nonsense.

I wanted to know if anyone had advice on how to escalate this further, I know contacting my local MPs office might help and I'll be doing just that, but is there anything else I could do in my situation?

Muttleythefrog

Good lord... although some would say maybe you were lucky to ever encounter one of these rare machines at all... we've probably put more rovers on mars. This is a ridiculous length of time to be stuck without being assessed... the assessment phase is scheduled to last 3 months... it took an age to give you the first appointment (worse than I waited back in 2009/10 during the early days of a stuttering ESA).

I definitely would take up with MP. Now someone yesterday I think posted regarding DWP complaints... let me track it and return.. ah here

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/about/complaints-procedure

If you are awarded the main phase of the benefit then obviously you'll get significant backdating of additional monies owed. But this is madness... far too long. I would draw your attention to my longstanding signature on MSE... courtesy of a much respected poster of past.

Xith

Thank you, I never considered contacting the DWP, but that's an excellent idea.

I wonder how many of these assessments do end up being recorded, I got the impression this was the last thing in the world the assessor wanted to do, when the equipment "failed" she made several attempts to persuade me into going through with the assessment without a recording.

My carer even believes staff attempted to have him talk me into remaining.

Muttleythefrog

Xith wrote: »

Thank you, I never considered contacting the DWP, but that's an excellent idea.

I wonder how many of these assessments do end up being recorded, I got the impression this was the last thing in the world the assessor wanted to do, when the equipment "failed" she made several attempts to persuade me into going through with the assessment without a recording.

My carer even believes staff attempted to have him talk me into remaining.

Officially recorded only a tiny proportion... very few machines (I saw a freedom of information request some years ago stating there were 11 machines in Britain!).. and many often not working or at least claimed to be out of commission. So your experiences in getting recording don't surprise me as this is typically difficult... but it's a farce now. To some degree for many claimants the issue of recording seems to have fallen back in that official recordings are difficult to get and I think you have to sign disclaimers in advance regarding material use - while at the same time smart phones have become almost standard issue with audio recording capability and thus those seeking a recording have probably opted to do so covertly with some drawbacks and risks but potentially also some benefits.

In terms of what you say here.. yes this is something I've heard on the matter many times... you turn up having in advance arranged to have audio recording... the device isn't there or working and they try to persuade you to continue the medical anyway.. sometimes with threats. Audio recording is an inconvenience to them... they seek to efficiently get through these medicals with little scrutiny. The option of audio recording is as such a token gesture... it's a possibility like going to the moon...lol

I can quite believe your carer's testimony btw... probably they did try to do that. They'll want your assessment done and dusted.

Bananas123

hello,

they made it so that claimants have to buy their own, expensive, specialist, audio recording equiptment that provides two tangible copies AT the time off assessment that HAS to be in either tape or cd format (which is nice, when stopping claimants income) AND you have to make the "request" 30 days prior to assessment.

>>> this is IF you want to use as evidence in court, at tribunal etc <<<

---

you can record your own digital audio, but only for personal use and can NOT share it (social media etc) or else can be prosecuted.

---

i think getting HCP's recorded is undoubetdly a good idea.

also i think, just recording it on a phone infront of them, to obtain a personal copy is a very good idea also, but the audio will not neccesarily be accepted at tribunal.

also, if you say "i am going to obtain a personal copy", then they can get angry / cancel your appointment etc....

Xith

Hello again, I thought I'd share some updates, since my original post I've had another appointment scheduled... only to have that appointment cancelled just two days later.

I now have a 5th appointment in about 6 weeks, meaning it's soon going to be 20 months and 5 appointments.. well that's provided the 5th appointment doesn't end up getting postponed.

On my behalf a family member has been in contact with our local MPs office, but nothing to show for that just yet.

PHILANTHROPIST

Bananas123 wrote: »

hello,

they made it so that claimants have to buy their own, expensive, specialist, audio recording equiptment that provides two tangible copies AT the time off assessment that HAS to be in either tape or cd format (which is nice, when stopping claimants income) AND you have to make the "request" 30 days prior to assessment.

>>> this is IF you want to use as evidence in court, at tribunal etc <<<

---

you can record your own digital audio, but only for personal use and can NOT share it (social media etc) or else can be prosecuted.

---

i think getting HCP's recorded is undoubetdly a good idea.

..

I think your opening remarks refer to audio recordings for PIP medicals and not ESA. If I'm wrong please correct me.

KxMx

Good luck, I sent back forms just before Christmas last year, for an existing claim,alongside an audio recording request.
Mid March I was given an appointment today, and much to my surprise it wasn't cancelled.
I checked by phone direct with the centre this morning about the recording, and I was asked upon arrival if I still wanted it.
The medical then was recorded as planned, by a cassette machine :eek:
I had seen on a welfare rights newsletter they were doing them by cassette and cd so wasn't too surprised.
I had a cd recording of my last assessment in 2013 so did kind of expect the same this time. :rotfl:

borkid

KxMx wrote: »

Good luck, I sent back forms just before Christmas last year, for an existing claim,alongside an audio recording request.
Mid March I was given an appointment today, and much to my surprise it wasn't cancelled.
I checked by phone direct with the centre this morning about the recording, and I was asked upon arrival if I still wanted it.
The medical then was recorded as planned, by a cassette machine :eek:
I had seen on a welfare rights newsletter they were doing them by cassette and cd so wasn't too surprised.
I had a cd recording of my last assessment in 2013 so did kind of expect the same this time. :rotfl:

That's interesting. My daughter was due a renewal assessment, asked for a recording. On the day of the assessment it was cancelled due to ' shortage of staff due to illness.' She got another date, we arrived and it was cancelled due to them running late. She mentioned she had requested a recording ( she had telephoned again after the first cancellation to confirm it) but there was no mention of a recording being requested.
The receptionist we dealt with was excellent and made an appointment to suit us and attached a note to the file to say a recording had been requested. Pity I'd already driven 30+ miles to take my daughter and had arrived at the centre before being told it was cancelled.
Ah well we'll see what happens next time. Third time lucky may be.

borkid

My daughters next assessment was due tomorrow. She received a call today about 16:30 to say it had been cancelled, the reason given 'they don't have all the paperwork'. Thinking positively at least her dad didn't have to finish his voluntary work early tomorrow so i could have the car to take her there on time.

Thinking about contacting her MP but will give them a week to see if they manage to fix another appointment.