When you make a claim for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Attendance Allowance the Benefits Agency may decide they need a medical report to help them decide if you qualify for the Allowance. They will arrange for a doctor to visit you at home to discuss your claim and to examine you. This doctor has received special training to help him/her assess claims for these benefits. We calls these doctors Examining Medical Practitioners or EMP for short.

The doctor should not turn up out of the blue. He should write or ring you and arrange a specific time for the appointment. If the appointment is inconvenient please contact the doctor to rearrange the time or date. If you refuse to be examined without good reason then your claim may be refused.

The doctor who comes to see you should not be your own GP. If you recognise the name of the doctor who plans to come to see you as that of your GP or a member of your practice you should ask for a different doctor to be sent.

It is best to have someone with you. They can answer the door to the EMP and help you to undress and answer questions. If you prefer a female EMP you can ask for this. You can also have someone with you while you are examined.

The EMP will not have seen your medical records and will know very little about you. Do not expect the EMP to know everything about you, he will not.

The EMP will take a statement from you. You are allowed to read this statement and make any changes. You will be asked to sign this statement. Take your time, read it carefully. If you cannot read the EMP’s writing ask him to read the report to you. Under the box where you sign your name write "statement read back to me". Remember you cannot change this statement once you have signed it.

The EMP will ask you a range of questions about your daily life. Answer honestly. If your condition varies from day to day explain this and ensure you explain clearly if your answers are about a good day or a bad day.

If you feel intimidated at any time stop the interview and tell the EMP you will be making a complaint. If you need help to make a complaint contact us.

The EMP will now wish to examine you. This may be a very thorough examination but you can refuse to do anything which causes you pain or distress. Explain why you are refusing. If you feel uncomfortable about any aspect of the examination stop the examination and tell the EMP you will be making a complaint. If you need help to make a complaint contact us.

The EMP will watch your movements throughout the interview and examination. For example, if you say you have problems bending then bend down to take off your shoes he will note this. You may not be offered the chance to explain why on the one hand you say you cannot bend yet on the other you have shown that you can.

The EMP does not need to see you walking out of doors. He will make an assessment of your walking from his examination and what he sees you doing indoors. He may ask you to walk out of doors.

If a movement is painful say so and say where it hurts. The EMP cannot "see pain", you must tell him.

If you have difficulty explaining your problems say so. Ask your witness to help you to explain. If you are depressed, lack confidence or feel suicidal you must tell the EMP, he cannot read your mind.

You cannot ask to read this section of the report. The EMP will send this to the Benefits Agency and you can ask them to send you a copy of the full report.

The EMP is a stranger. He knows little about you or your condition. He is making an opinion based on what you say and what he sees. It is his opinion, it may disagree with what you think about your condition but the EMP has the right to make what opinion he wishes to. He should treat you with respect and courtesy and you should do likewise. If you are not happy with the examination you have the right to complain.

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