Hi everyone,

I recently recieved a book from dwp to be reassessed which i filled in sent back with all medical reports meds etc and and then yesterday i recieved a letter from health assessment b-ham with an appointment for 18th oct18. ive been on esa support group now for over 4 years with anxiety and depression plus cant walk so i also get pip high award which has been awarded untill jan 2021.

Now i retire on dec 1st this year so less than 8 wks away so my first question is, is it normal to call some-one in for a medical this close to retiring as by the time i had the medical id be down to 6 wks before i retire. as my mobility is next to nothing i cant get to b-ham so if i dont go to the medical dwp say it may affect my benefits but would this include my state pension ?

I have 44 years of contributions in so have enough for a full pension. yet again if i dont go to the medical could the dwp stop my pip award?. many thanks in advance for any help and advice folks might send me.

when you filled the forms in did you tell them that you would have problems climbing stairs etc ? If so then you need to contact the office that will be doing your assessment and tell them. Also tell them about the problems you are going to face when attending for a assessment. Once they have been told they should move your appointment to another office nearer to you. I dont think your pension is affected but if you have a pip award till 2021 then this shouldnt be affected. This assessment is for your ESA.

thank you so much letsmakeamark thats very helpfull. i sent dwp loads of medical history but am sure they dont even read what ive sent. im basically on 10 different meds and cant climb stairs or basically walk. i have injections in my knees every 4 wks just to help with pain. i sleep downstairs and because of my other probs just dont go out i have a meltdown just trying to get to doctors. i cant belive so close to retiring they want to waste money assessing me anyway its all crazy.

when i was first assessed it was in worcester but dont know if this office still exists as was all on ground level.

Can I suggest that you phone the assessment centre to discuss this.

It might be the case that the assessment centre will refer it back to DWP, if the assessment is a waste of time.

Make it known to the assessment centre that you are available for an assessment, at a centre which is suitable and you can get to. If you are not mobile, they can obtain information from your Doctors to carry out a paper based assessment without seeing you. Or they can at the last resort, send an assessor to your home.

If you are due to retire in December, they might decide to refer it back to DWP and ask them whether they want to still proceed.

You won't lose any benefit, if you contact the assessment centre to discuss this and they refer it back to DWP. As long as you don't withdraw your claim, they will still pay the benefit on the current basis.

thanks so much unclebulgaria67 and i dont know why im getting so worked up but suppose thats part of my condition as the smallest thing send me over the edge. by oct 18th ill have 6 wks untill my retiremnt date so very strange they still want to assess me. ill call dwp and the centre first thing in the morning and update after but thanks for all the help and advice ive been given its very much apreciated.

The way these things work, is that they will not have even considered your age and possible retirement.

Someone has worked on your case and noted as assessment was due, so they have simply arranged one.

I suspect that if you talked to someone sensible, that they will realise that by the time they get a decision maker to apply a decision, that you could well have reached retirement age, therefore cancelling your ESA claim.

unclebulgaria i did think this and i definatly retire dec 1st one of the last to retire at 65 under old system. ill be giving dwp and health assessors a ring in the morning to see if a they know how soon it is i retire and if they insist i still go need it changing to worcs if possible.

well folks i just called dwp who basically were no help at all and just put me through to assessment centre who said ive still got to go to be assessed as im on esa untill i retire on the 1st dec 2018. the good thing is now they have changed the centre to worcester so much better for me. the stupid thing now is they have put it another wk further out so on the day i get assessed will only have 5 wks untill retirement. i have never known a department who can waste money like the dwp. its crazy as the cost of assessing me filling out reports etc and the timeframe left just dosnt justify doing it. id just like to thank everyone who helped me with this its very much apreciated.

Maybe you could ask for it to be recorded, that might hold it up a bit longer.

See what others think.

HB

Maybe you could ask for it to be recorded, that might hold it up a bit longer.

 

See what others think.

 

HB

i just cant believe they are wasting the time and money to do it. if they waste this much in one dept god knows about all the others.

i just cant believe they are wasting the time and money to do it. if they waste this much in one dept god knows about all the others.

A bit silly !

As has been suggested, if you have mobility issues that require them to pay for a taxi or other issues such as recording the assessment, then do raise these.

Also if you had any issue near the date of assessment e.g. In bed with the flu, then as long as you phoned the assessment centre the day before, they would just rebook it. Probably after you have retired

A bit silly !

 

As has been suggested, if you have mobility issues that require them to pay for a taxi or other issues such as recording the assessment, then do raise these.

 

Also if you had any issue near the date of assessment e.g. In bed with the flu, then as long as you phoned the assessment centre the day before, they would just rebook it. Probably after you have retired

many thanks unclebugaria you have been most helpfull with all this. yes i will be requesting it be recorded because of all the lies they tell. ill update if i hear more and after ive been. one good thing about going back to worcs is i can be dropped right next to door and pushed in. thanks again everyone you are all stars.

went for my assessment today at worcs 10.30 and all good news. i spent exactly 5 minutes with doctor who said well we may as well wind this up now as with only 5 wks untill retirement its totally unexeptable for dwp to ask you to come here today. was home by 11.30 so there are some (not many) humans out there . i keep my esa and in 5 wks free from all done. many thanks for all who advised and helped me with this.

That's excellent news, I'm delighted for you.

I'll amend your thread title as it will help other people. Thank you for the update and have a happy retirement.

HB

That's excellent news, I'm delighted for you.

 

 

I'll amend your thread title as it will help other people. Thank you for the update and have a happy retirement.

 

 

HB