ESA assessment: impact of missing an interview we weren't notified about

Jonx999

My wife has to go into hospital next week for major cancer-related surgery.  She is on a zero hours contract so she's applied for Employment and Support Allowance.  The application was done online a couple of weeks ago but since then we've heard nothing from the DWP: no letters, no emails, not even an acknowledgement that the application was received.

However, this afternoon a message was left on our answerphone from a nearby job centre saying that my wife had missed her ESA assessment interview today.  We knew nothing about it!

My wife is now worried that missing the interview (which she could easily have attended if she'd known about it) may derail her ESA application.  She goes into hospital on Tuesday, and the consultant has warned her that she'll be in hospital for 5-10 days and then require 6 weeks at home to recover, so she won't be in a position to attend any interviews for some time.

Is she worrying unnecessarily?

calcotti

The initial appointment may be done over the phone. She should certainly have been given advance notice from JobCentre before the appointment itself.

The claim cannot be progressd until that appointment has happened.

poppy12345

It wouldn't have been an assessment appointment. It would have been the new claim appointment so she'll need to contact them.

Jonx999

calcotti said:

The initial appointment may be done over the phone. She should certainly have been given advance notice from JobCentre before the appointment itself.

Thanks, we'll try phoning the job centre on Monday and see if they can track down the person who called - unfortunately she only left a (very common) first name in her message!

strawb_shortcake

We had a very similar incident, my OH got confused on the initial call and told them he had no idea who they were or why they phoning 🤦‍♂️ I'm using that as part of his evidence.

Anyway they phoned back and it wasn't as issue, the actual appointments we were notified by post over the weekend. The applicant went in about 2 months ago and his appointment is in early June so looking at 3 months ish for the assessment in person  - at least where we are, other areas may vary