# The ESA50 and your assessment report — read it before you write
The ESA50 is the Work Capability Assessment questionnaire for Employment and Support Allowance. Whether you completed it on paper or the assessment was paper-based, a health professional's report summarises how your answers were interpreted — and that report is the blueprint for your mandatory reconsideration letter.
How to get your report
Ask the DWP for a copy of your assessment report in the same request as your mandatory reconsideration. You do not need a Subject Access Request for this — it is your document and you are entitled to it.
What to look for in it
- The descriptor scores. Each activity (mobilising; standing and sitting; reaching; picking up and moving things; understanding; communicating; and the others) should carry a score. Check the totals against the 15-point threshold.
- The quotes attributed to you. Reports often summarise observations as fact ("you said you can walk 200 metres"). If the quote is wrong or misses context, that is your first MR argument.
- What was NOT asked. Activities where you scored zero but your condition genuinely limits you deserve their own paragraphs — explain the descriptor you meet.
- Observations vs reality. "You maintained eye contact for 40 minutes" is a snapshot, not a diagnosis of your communication ability on a bad day. Address the gap between the observation window and your typical week.
Turning the report into your argument
For every activity where the report is wrong or incomplete, write one paragraph in your MR letter:
1. What the report says.
2. What actually happens (with dates and frequency).
3. The descriptor you believe you meet.
Then attach evidence that speaks to the same descriptors: GP letters that describe function (not just diagnosis), prescription lists, care logs, employer or school statements, statements from family members who see you daily.
A note on fit-for-work decisions
If the decision placed you in the Work-Related Activity group or found you fit for work, the stakes are higher and the descriptors matter even more. The tribunal statistics on this site (about 45% of ESA hearings decided in the claimant's favour, April–June 2026) cover exactly these appeals — preparation is the difference.
Independent information directory · Source-checked 2026-10-09 · Independent information — not legal or benefits advice; not affiliated with the DWP.