Maximus keep cancelling appointments

[kotchka]

Hello

I'm writing on behalf of my husband who is in the ESA support group for major depressive disorder and chronic migraines. We were due to have an assessment for his renewal with Maximus this past Saturday. We've requested the assessment be recorded. However, we received a letter from them the day before telling us that it has been cancelled and rescheduled for today. Just before we were due to call a taxi to take us, I called them to make sure it was still on. I was told it had again been cancelled and a new appointment has been sent (but we've received nothing from them about today's assessment being cancelled, nor a new appointment.)

This is worrying, as it says we can cancel the appointment only once before it affects his benefits. Does this rule count if it is the assessors who are cancelling the appointments? My husband is getting more stressed by the day as he keeps getting worried about the whole process only for it to be cancelled, postponing his agony and making him more anxious. Am I right in thinking his benefit should be fine since we did not cancel any of the appointments? I'm really angry that we did not receive anything from them about today's cancelled assessment and we're lucky we called beforehand.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[nukecad]

As you are finding out it's one rule for us and another for them.

You are only allowed to cancel one assessment appointment, if you cancel a second "without good cause" they can cancel your claim altogether.
(And yes the DWP get to decide just whether your 'cause' was good enough).

Maximus however can cancel it as many times as they like with seeming impunity.
(I've had them ring me 5 minutes before an apointment to cancel - I had already signed in and was sat in their waiting room, LOL).

The benefit payments should be fine to continue.

Except for if you do certain things wrong, e.g. for sanctions and fraud investigations, they can only stop ESA if you are found fit-for-work at a face to face assessment. (and it must be f2f, they cant find you fit for work on paper alone).

If they cancel again, or even now if you feel like it, then make a complaint; both to Maximus and to the DWP/Jobcentre.
It should tell you how to do this on the appointment letters.

Good luck for the assessment when you finally get there.

[kotchka]

Thanks, nukecad.

I just hope they send the new appointment soon and that it isn't cancelled a third time. The stress of this whole process is having a detrimental effect on his mental health, which was already fragile.