Linking rules

Does any one have any experience of how the linking rules work if a client was only receiving assessment phase rate ESA in the previous claim, they had been waiting for a decision for 8 months due to the lengthy delays, they had a gap, their claim was cancelled they want to reapply and are within 12 weeks.

How does it work, do they join the back of ATOS’s queue of waiting assessments and risk waiting a further 8 months for a decision or is there any way of helping them jump the queue.

I have a feeling the resounding answer will be one of I don’t know seen as we are talking about ATOS.