Unexpected ESA Reassessment Questionnaire.

sydneyboy wrote: Dear All,
I just called ATOS call centre to be told the DWP made the referral two days ago!
When I mentioned the 2 year deferral scan for repeat reassessments from the 20th January the Atos call centre telephonist said the repeat referrals were never stopped. Repeat reassessments are still continuing and always have been. The elusive 20th January date does NOT exist.
I thank Bro58 for their time and info.

Hi sb,

You might want to e-mail ATOS from their website, quoting what you have been told over the phone, and referring them to the information that they published on their own web page :

blog.atoshealthcare.com/2014/02/clarific...pability-assessments

It would be very interesting to see whether they would reiterate what you have been told verbally, in writing.

br58

Dear All,
I later telephoned the DWP and was told, in no uncertain terms, that it is still "Business As Usual" and that deferrals will continue. This has now been confirmed by both ATOS and the DWP.

sydneyboy wrote: Dear All,
I later telephoned the DWP and was told, in no uncertain terms, that it is still "Business As Usual" and that deferrals will continue. This has now been confirmed by both ATOS and the DWP.

Hi sb,

Do you mean referrals rather than "deferrals" ?

Referrals will continue for new ESA claimants, ESA claimants reporting a change in circumstances, IB, IS and SDA recipients who have yet to be transferred to ESA and current ESA recipients who have already been re-referred to ATOS for reassessment.

If you rang the DWP number, and spoke to your first line of contact, that would be a call responder in a call center.

We can only advise with respect to the written evidence that we are privy to, so I can't really offer any other meaningful comments.

bro58

Evening, just to say my husband is in ESA support group received the form for reassessment on Wednesday and on calling it was confirmed that he was referred to ATOS last Friday, DWP said all going ahead as usual with no deferrals. (We are in Kent) Reassessment was due about now

Hi all,

Further evidence of deferrals of reassessments in that Mike Penning Minister for The Disabled was embarrassingly forced to admit it in Parliament :

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/2647-did-...ead-commons-over-wca

Unfortunately, for whatever reason, unless you receive written confirmation to the contrary, once you have received the ESA50 you have little choice but to fill it in and return it by the deadline given, or face the risk of your benefit being stopped.

The deferral of reassessments is only an adjustment to operational procedures and not legislation.

There is nothing to stop you taking this up with your M.P. though:

Contacting your MP

bro58

I can't help thinking that the wording in the gatekeeper memo at section 7 in the Q&A has been implemented here Quote: "We
will continue to assess the potential for alternative interventions on those
whose repeat Work Capability Assessments are deferred to seek to manage
this consequence.

It is strange, as the statement made by both the DWP and ATOS that reassessments would stop, is there in the public domain, but I fear that these people are a law unto themselves. Who knows, IDS may have ordered them to carry on regardless

The only crumb of comfort would be if there is such a backlog, that it might be some time before a decision is made.