ESA telephone assessment

Dion91

Hi I’ve had ESA for a few years and tomorrow I’m getting my first telephone assessment I’ve heard that by law they can’t find someone fit for work by just a phone call is that true? Or will that be changed due to covid? 

poppy12345

Dion91 said:

Hi I’ve had ESA for a few years and tomorrow I’m getting my first telephone assessment I’ve heard that by law they can’t find someone fit for work by just a phone call is that true? Or will that be changed due to covid? 

Yes, you can't be found fit nor work without a face to face assessment, unless it's failure to either return the form or failure to attend an assessment, whether it's face to face or telephone.

However, if they can't get enough of information through the telephone assessment your file will return the "waiting list" and you will be sent a face to face assessment appiontment when they start back up again but there's no indication of when this will be. This has actually happened to quite a few people since Covid.