PIP appointment problems.

Sent reassessment form back 3rd Nov had no appointment letter then received a text today saying appointment at assessment centre next week. I phoned up the number and said I had a home assessment in January this year without having to ask and ESA claim done without face to face straight to support group I had asked and had GP letter for home visit again stating condition had deteriorated and given dates of upcoming cardiologist appointment on the day and time they made assessment for. I was told I couldn't be given a home assessment as none available for months. I said I wouldn't be able to go to centre so she said she would cancel using up one if my two chances and send a request through to ask them whoever they are? if I can have a home visit and to phone next Wednesday to find out. She did say she couldn't understand why I hadn't been given a home visit or why it was made for same day and time as cardiologist appointment clearly stated in form or why appointment letter had not arrived but that me cancelling has used up one of my two assessment offers which I don't think is fair but is there anything I can do? I will phone next Wednesday as told but feeling so ill not really up for an argument or fight with them so any advice on how to word what to say next week if they try and say no to home visit would help as with them ignoring GP letter and my request plus the fact that due to my conditions they did home visit last time and paper based esa only a few months ago I am at a loss and feeling very down and defeated already. Thanks in advance for any help or advice Effie

Effie
I am sorry you are having difficulties with the assessment & I hope you get a home assessment. At the time of my last reassessment for ESA I too included dates when I would be unavailable for a F2F if required & of course I was given an appointment on one of these dates! I wrote a letter to the manager of my named Benefit Delivery Centre & copied to Atos saying:

"I am writing to inform you of my inability to attend the assessment on 00/00/00. This is not of my making but a failure on the part of Atos Healthcare to take into account the dates it was given of my unavailability to attend an assessment. I have called the Atos Healthcare assessment help desk today and the appointment has been cancelled.

"I understand that claimants are allowed to ask for a rearrangement only once and in the event of being unable to attend a second appointment will have their benefit withdrawn. I do not wish to find myself in a situation whereby my ESA benefit is withdrawn and I lose my entitlement.

"I do not expect to be penalised with the removal of my ESA if I have cause to cancel another appointment for whatever legitimate reason e.g. it is on a date I have already given as unavailable, given Atos Healthcare ...... Resource Team has all the relevant information and has had from 00/00/00.

"I would be grateful if you would confirm in writing as a matter of urgency both receipt of this letter and, that as per the last paragraph, I will not face any penalty."

Three weeks later I received confirmation from the BDC manager that Atos confirmed it had cancelled the appointment as its mistake so my ESA payments were not at risk & therefore I would not face any sanctions if I had to rearrange again!!!

Hope this post may be of help.

mayflower

Just had a phone call from angry woman at assessment centre saying that as they had changed the time of today's appointment so as not to clash with my hospital appointment and as I have not turned up that is my two chances used up so end of claim. I explained that I had asked for a home visit and told I would hear later thus week but she insisted that on her screen it says they just changed the time for today's so that's it. I took her name and other details to complain but shaken up and angry. So who do you think is best to write into (mp here is a no go)dwp pip, capita as can't appeal a closed claim which she said it now is?
Don't know what this will do to my cardio test results in half hour but the dwp really are that low,uncaring and devious.
Hope to read some advice from you this evening when I get back from hospital if they don't keep me in

Gordon,

Does the seven days required notice include a weekend?

Does the seven days notice start from receipt of the appointment or from the date on the appointment letter, bearing in mind that dated letters do not always get sent out on the day of typing, nor do they always get sent out first class?

If it is anything like receipt of a PIP form, they are usually 7 - 9 days after the date of initiation.