ESA Mandatory Reconsideration Letter: Free Template and What to Include

If you need to challenge an ESA decision — wrong group or refused — check your decision letter first: it says how to challenge it, and some ESA decisions can go straight to appeal. A written mandatory reconsideration request creates a clear record and shows you're pursuing the matter formally. Below is what a strong ESA mandatory reconsideration letter should include.

What this letter needs to cover

• Says which decision you are challenging and the date on the decision letter
• Says plainly what you want changed, for example to be placed in the support group
• Explains why the decision is wrong, with your own examples of how your condition affects you on bad days
• Lists any new evidence you are enclosing
• Asks for a copy of your Work Capability Assessment report
• Leaves space for your date of birth and National Insurance number

Challenging an ESA decision

Whether you've been placed in the wrong ESA group, found fit for work when you don't believe you are, or refused ESA altogether, your decision letter says how to challenge it. Usually you ask for mandatory reconsideration first, but some ESA decisions can go straight to appeal. Mandatory reconsideration gives the benefits office a chance to look at the decision again with any new evidence you send.

What to include before you send it

• The date on your decision letter
• Your name, address, date of birth and National Insurance number (the benefits office needs these)
• What part of the decision is wrong and why — referencing specific points from your Work Capability Assessment if relevant
• Only new evidence you have not sent before, with your name, date of birth and National Insurance number at the top of each page
• Specific, concrete examples of how your condition affects your ability to work

Why the assessment report matters so much

Requesting a copy of your Work Capability Assessment report before responding lets you address specific points the assessor got wrong or didn't properly consider, rather than making general arguments. Being specific about which assessment descriptors you believe were incorrectly scored strengthens your case considerably. The letter asks for the report for you. Do not wait for it if your one-month deadline is close.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a time limit for requesting a mandatory reconsideration?
You usually need to ask within one month of the date on your decision letter. If you write, it must arrive by then. You can ask later if you have a good reason, but you must say why you are late. In Northern Ireland, ask within one calendar month of the date on your decision letter.

What happens to my ESA payments while this is being reconsidered?
In England, Scotland and Wales: if you were found fit for work after an assessment and your ESA was refused or stopped, it is not paid while a mandatory reconsideration is looked at. You may be able to appeal straight away instead and be paid ESA while you wait for the hearing. It depends on your situation, so check your decision letter or ask Citizens Advice. If you get income-related ESA, claiming Universal Credit while you wait stops your ESA and you cannot go back to it. In Northern Ireland, check your decision letter or ask Advice NI.

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Postcode]
[Your Phone Number]
[Your Date of Birth]
[Your National Insurance Number]
[DWP / Department for Communities (Northern Ireland) - address on your decision letter]
[Postcode]
[Date]

Dear Decision Maker,

Subject: Mandatory reconsideration of ESA decision – NI number [National Insurance Number]

I am asking for a mandatory reconsideration of the Employment and Support Allowance decision dated [Date].

I want the decision changed so that [e.g. I am placed in the support group / I am found to have limited capability for work].

The decision is wrong because the Work Capability Assessment did not reflect how my condition affects me, especially on bad days:
• [e.g. Moving around: on bad days I cannot walk 50 metres without stopping because of pain and breathlessness, which happens [number] days a week.]
• [e.g. Coping with change: because of my anxiety, a small change to my routine leaves me unable to function for the rest of the day.]

I enclose:
• [e.g. a letter from my GP dated [date]]
• [e.g. a list of my medication and its side effects]

Please also send me a copy of my Work Capability Assessment report.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Signature]
[Your Printed Name]