Employment and Support Allowance FAQs

If you would prefer to be assessed in a different way, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can discuss this with you.

Appointment letters are available in a range of accessible formats. For more information, please call our Enquiries line on 0800 072 0398. 

The Department for Communities (DfC) allows you to rearrange the appointment once. If you need to rearrange your ESA appointment, please call our enquiries line before the day of your appointment on 0800 072 0398. 

You or your representative can take notes during an assessment. The notes will only be for your private use. We will not send them to the Department for Communities with the medical report. The functional specialist will record within the medical report that notes were taken. They will also explain that the notes are not an official record of the assessment.

Our healthcare professionals must be registered with their appropriate professional governing body:

For doctors this is the General Medical Council (GMC). They must be on the List of Registered Medical Practitioners and have a current licence to practise.

We will accommodate requests for an audio recorded consultations where possible and provide the equipment to do this. However, you must make a request for an audio recording before the consultation takes place.  

If you would like your consultation to be audio recorded, please call our Enquiries line on 0800 072 0398. Please make your request as early as possible so it is part of the appointment booking process.  

You can find more information, including an explanation of the DfC policy about the audio recording of Work Capability Consultations, on the Government’s website.

Yes. For more information please call our Enquiries line on 0800 072 0398. 

The most important thing is that you return the form to us by the date on the letter we sent you. Complete the form as fully as you can, giving as much information as possible.

You can send us medical evidence separately. You may provide evidence from another consultant or specialist doctor, psychiatrist, specialist nurse such as a Community Psychiatric Nurse, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, social worker, support worker, personal assistant or carer. 

Sometimes we may request evidence from the Healthcare Professional who knows you best to help us with the assessment.

Please let us know as soon as possible by calling our Enquiries line on 0800 072 0398. We may be able to arrange transport for you or conduct a telephone assessment.

There is no set time for an assessment. How long it takes depends upon your individual case. It also depends upon the type of assessment and your medical conditions. Time with the functional specialist is usually between 20 minutes and one hour. Allow up to two hours, although many assessments take much less time.

The functional specialist will spend time before you arrive reviewing your questionnaire and any other available information. They will spend time after your assessment finishes completing the remainder of the medical report. Then it is sent to the Department for Communities office handling your claim.

If you think you cannot travel because of your medical condition, please contact us as soon as possible. Our Healthcare Professionals will then consider all available information. It is likely we will ask you for supporting information, including confirmation from a medical professional who is treating you.

We may be able to offer a pre-paid taxi to the Assessment Centre or provide a telephone assessment as an alternative.

We will provide an interpreter for a face-to-face assessment when required. Please contact us on 0800 072 0398.

If you prefer, you can bring a friend or family member to interpret for you. The person must be at least 16 years old.

We will accommodate requests for an audio recorded consultations where possible and provide the equipment to do this. However, you must make a request for an audio recording before the consultation takes place.  

If you would like your consultation to be audio recorded, please call our Enquiries line on 0800 072 0398. Please make your request as early as possible so it is part of the appointment booking process.  

You can find more information, including an explanation of the DfC policy about the audio recording of Work Capability Consultations, on the Government’s website.

Please let us know as soon as possible if you use a wheelchair or have other significant mobility issues by calling our Enquiries line on 0800 072 0398. We want to make sure that we can send you to an Assessment Centre that you can access. If this is not possible, we may be able to conduct your assessment by telephone.

Yes, you may bring assistance dogs or other service animals with you.

Telephone assessments are only appropriate in some cases. A functional specialist will have reviewed the information you have provided and a face-to-face assessment would be needed so DfC make sure that you are paid the right amount of benefit.

You should contact us on 0800 072 0398 as soon as possible.

Video calls are completely safe, and your privacy is protected. Your assessment will take place in a private, virtual assessment room and only our staff can enter.

A video assessment uses around the same amount of data as Skype or FaceTime. If you’re using a Smartphone or tablet, connect to a home or other secure WiFi network to avoid using your mobile data allowance.

If you are unhappy about the decision made by DfC, you may ask them to reconsider their decision. If you want to do this, please contact the office listed on your decision letter.

Our aim is to deal with your complaint fairly, consistently and in a timely manner. We will acknowledge your complaint within 2 working days.

We aim to respond to your complaint within 20 working days. Sometimes our investigation may take longer because we may need to:

– Obtain a copy of the report or questionnaire from the office dealing with your claim 
– Obtain information from the Healthcare Professional or other employees involved 

If we find any inaccuracies on your report, we will notify the office dealing with your claim. It is for the Department for Communities (DfC) to decide whether our findings change their decision about your benefit entitlement.

The Health Assessment Advisory Service cannot change the decision of DfC on your benefit or request a new assessment.

Please contact the Health Assessment Advisory Service Customer Relations team, explaining which parts of your complaint have not been addressed to your satisfaction. A senior manager will personally review the investigation into your complaint and undertake a further investigation, if appropriate.

The Health Assessment Advisory Service provides consultations on behalf of the Department for communities (DfC). If you continue to be dissatisfied with the complaint process, you can contact the DfC Independent Case Examiner.

Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman
Progressive House
33 Wellington Place
Belfast
BT1 6HN
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