We want to help you feel prepared and ready for your face-to-face consultation.
We deliver hundreds of thousands of consultations every year, and we make sure to give you a sensitive and respectful service. If you need any more help before your consultation, you can contact us.
Those applying for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) may be sent a capability for work questionnaire, also known as an ESA50. It’s important you complete the form as fully as possible, answering all the questions.
It is vital that you return the form by the date on the letter you are sent. We will use the information you provide on the form to decide if you need to come in for a face-to-face consultation or not.
You may also download the ESA50 form to your computer. If you use the online form, fill it out, print it, sign it and then send it to us.
If you need help filling in the form, you can now speak to a dedicated advisor on our helpline by calling 0800 072 0398.
You can also go to your local benefits office and speak to your work coach.
Interpreters
Please let us know at least two days before your consultation if you need an interpreter for your consultation. This will help to make sure that we can have an interpreter available for you.
Appointment arrangements
We will call you to arrange a date and time to suit you and follow up with a confirmation letter of the details of your appointment. Your appointment letter will have a contact number and information about the consultation, including directions to your medical examination centre. Please read this letter before your consultation.
If you need help before your consultation, contact us. The Customer Enquiries line is open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm.
What happens with your support before your assessment
Whilst you are waiting for your assessment to be completed, you will be paid the assessment rate appointed under ESA.
You can find more information about Employment and Support Allowance on the DfC website.
You may be asked for details of the professionals or carers who know the most about your health conditions, illnesses and disabilities select the + on the list below to see what these are:
Remember – only send us copies of medical or other information if you already have them. Don’t ask or pay for new information or send us original documents. Please write your National Insurance number on each piece of information you send to us.
If you haven’t yet received an ESA50 form, it might be easier for you if you start to gather some of your medical information in advance. This form allows us to decide if you will need a face-to-face assessment.
As soon as you have completed the form, you need to sign and date it, and return it in the envelope we provided. It is important for you to return the form before its due date. The Department for Communities may not be able to continue to pay you benefits if we don’t receive this form in time.
If you cannot return the form in time, let us know as soon as possible. There is also a box that allows you to explain why your form was late.
If you have any concerns, please contact us.
The healthcare professional will introduce themselves and explain the consultation to you. They’ll record information on a computer. Some questions may not relate directly to your medical condition, but to daily activities.
What to bring to the consultation
1. Proof of identity
2. Any medication you may be taking
3. Any information from your General Practitioner (GP) or Specialist which explains how your condition affects you
If you’re claiming expenses, please bring details of your bank account if you have one.
The consultation questions may include:
- When your illness or disability started
- How your condition changes from day-to-day
- How it affects your daily life
- How it affects your mood and the way you behave
- How you cope with things from day-to-day
The healthcare professional will record information about your pain, fatigue, and the medication you take.
Depending on your illness or disability the consultation may include:
- a physical examination
- blood pressure, sight, hearing or other tests
- movements such as stretching, standing and bending
The healthcare professional will not ask you to make any movements that cause you discomfort. If you are worried that certain movements may cause you pain, please tell the healthcare professional.
We provide the Department for Communities (DfC) with a consultation report which is impartial and gives justified medical advice about how you are currently affected by your medical condition. This follows government legislation and the processes agreed by DfC.
The healthcare professional
Our healthcare professionals are doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and paramedics registered with their governing body. These include:
- the General Medical Council
- the Nursing and Midwifery Council
- the Healthcare Professions Council
Our healthcare professionals go through a specifically designed training course, approved by DfC on behalf of the Secretary of State.
Companion or chaperone during your consultation
You are welcome to bring a relative, carer or friend with you. Although the consultation will focus on you, a companion can offer useful support to you. This would usually be the person who knows you best and understands you and your needs. For example, this may be a relative, support worker or friend but they must be 16 years old or over
Taking notes
You or your companion are welcome to take notes for your personal use. Your notes will not form part of the medical report that we send to DfC.
Waiting time and length of consultation
We’ll make sure you are seen as soon as possible. The receptionist will tell you if you have to wait.
Other people who arrive after you may go to their consultation before you. This is because we do several types of consultation, and some take longer than others. There is no set time for consultations, but they are usually between 20 minutes and 1 hour.
After your consultation our healthcare professional completes a report using criteria laid out by the Department for Communities (DfC). This is to provide the DfC decision-maker with an impartial, justified medical opinion about how you are affected by your medical condition.
The consultation report will describe your medical conditions and the activities you undertake in a typical day. It will also have the healthcare professional’s observations, and the results of any physical examination undertaken.
The report is one piece of information DfC uses in deciding your entitlement. The healthcare professional who carries out your consultation does not make any decision about your allowance, benefit or credits and will not know the outcome of your claim.
You may request a copy of the full report from DfC office handling your claim.
Decisions on claims
DfC will let you know of the outcome of your claim.
You should direct any questions or concerns about the outcome of your claim to the DfC office handling your claim. They will know what information they have used to decide your entitlement. The Health Assessment Advisory Service will not be aware of this. We have no decision-making role.
Claiming expenses
The Health Assessment Advisory Service pays expenses:
- For travel by public transport
- Towards fuel costs for private cars
- The cost of parking when it is not available at the Consultation Centre
We will also pay for fares of a companion, relative, carer or young children who would otherwise be alone. If you wish to claim for an authorised companion to travel with you, contact us before the assessment and let us know.
To have your expenses paid, you will need to fill out and send an expense form. You may ask the receptionist at the Assessment Centre for help filling out the form. Please keep all your receipts. You should receive payment for your expenses approximately two weeks after you send the form.
Further information
If you have questions, contact the DfC office handling your claim. The office number will be on letters you have received about your claim.
For Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) find out how you can contact us on our page.
For Universal Credit you should use your Journal to contact DfC.
