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Compliance - ESA suspension

Apollo14LMP

Following on from my ESA compliance interview13/1/23 I had to contact the DWP Officer dealing with the case as I did not receive correspondence she said she would send - letter asking for my pension statements 2020 to date.

The DWP send these 2nd class (save money) she said she would send me one out first class Monday last. Saturday still not here !
Got the second class letter she sent yesterday posted 19/1/23.
Problem - the letter states unless we get this information by 5/2/23 your ESA will be suspended. Till we get the information ...
So I have not time to reply - I rang the DWP woman on her 0300 phone number there was no reply. I can never get this person on the phone !!!! another one she is gave me an 0800 number when it should have been 0300 another error ... at least their consistent ... I do have the number now she never answers -- a joke ...

At the interview she did not mention this was time limited ...
When I spoke to her I made a comment about them stopping my ESA and she said she had not told the Benefit Office to stop my ESA - that was Monday last.
we have also checked our files which are well maintained - there is not trace of the pension statements - 20 /21 21/22 I do have 22/23 I believe that with Covid issues these were sent to the DWP problem is I have no receipts for them.
Also past experience it takes weeks for the pension people to send copies out ...
So even if I get this woman on the phone what can I do ??

Im on ESA for a reason not slept with worry all night - blood pressure is through the roof despite medication anxiety / PTSD off the scale .. cancelled my NHS knee surgery next week due to stress and high BP... really horrible system this is...

Im sick of these people losing stuff I send them - I didnt send some stuff as I was shielding despite this these people expect miracles off sick people.

These people are not angels - they settled discrimination claim out of court and ADMITTED multiple times misleading me over my benefit entitlements in the past in court evidence ...

Anyone any experience of how to get this sorted - is the suspension a real threat after me telling this woman I hadnt had any post from them last week ..

From messed up benefit miscalculated deductions of pension ... these people are a DISGRACE ... sadly we rely on the poor service and when we are deemed to mess up subjected to the 3rd degree !!!!

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Comments

poppy123456

The only thing i can suggest is you ring ESA on Monday if you can't get any answer on the 0300 number.

rebel11

I would contact CAB, over the phone (do it as soon as they open) or go to your local CAB office, reason why? they have direct contact with DWP (I believe that is the case, I stand to be corrected if that is not the case).

This is the DWP Charter - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/our-customer-charter/our-customer-charter, if you believe it's been breached, lodge a formal complaint.

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/about/complaints-procedure

Also when you send mail to them, always get Proof of Postage.

Also I doubt, when they receive mail it is auctioned straight away, there will be a delay of some days.

Apollo14LMP

Poppy - thank you I will try that again. . ESA did get this Compliance woman straight away last time.

Rebel11 thank you - Might give that a try having trouble dealing with them. Fed up complaining did all that last time - ended up in court with out of court settlement after 4 years of them trying to diss my case ! but thank you i didnt know CAB had this access .. very useful.

calcotti

In general I am not aware CAB having any special access lines to DWP. Indeed adviser forums frequently have threads about how much time is spent wasted trying to speak to DWP (using the same lines as anybody else).

rebel11

calcotti said:

In general I am not aware CAB having any special access lines to DWP. Indeed adviser forums frequently have threads about how much time is spent wasted trying to speak to DWP (using the same lines as anybody else).

I know 100% Extra Help Unit, a part of CAB has access to energy companies. I'm sure CAB itself has too, otherwise you wouldn't have case workers at CAB, they would be limited to advice only, when urgent action is needed.

calcotti

As a previous benefits caseworker I can assure you almost all of our work was done with the normal DWP helplines. Occasionally we could contact particular people in the local JobCentre will specific roles.

Apollo14LMP

I know about proof of postage - once upon a time (another pension error by DWP) I showed proof of postage and they then declared "it is up to you to make sure the change is effective" in other words I should have double checked their work and when they didnt make the change I should have told them. How would I know how much they should deduct thats their job .. I tell them they should be accurate cant seem to add up or multiply ...

They are a joke some of them - sick of them, even when I tell them they cannot seem to calculate the correct deduction from the ESA due to pension. They take too much or not enough - then while they seem to be doing this cancel my Carers premium or mess something up.

I do have all the evidence that how I blitzed them in court last time ! they fight like crazy lol but with the pandemic other people posted stuff to them for me and did not get the receipt and thats a fail for me.

I am fuming not wanting to go for my knee op and so stressed for surgery. I have not got the energy to argue and complain why should I have too - hoping to get this sorted soon ... the compliance woman up to now hasnt been too bad except for arguing the toss that they never got the paperwork which I cannot prove sadly !

So much for the DWP helping to support people back to work - they are enough to make you ill ..

Apollo14LMP

Happy days - can anyone tell me if given they have put todays date on the letter they will stop my ESA?

Does your HB get suspended ? nightmare ..

Carers allowance my OH gets will that get suspended ..?

This is over about £150.00 ... I might have been overpaid .. I also have a nu underpayment stopped my CP for NOTHING !

Im also looking perhaps too much at this - and cynically think they might try to force me onto UC ? thinking they may have a grudge over the settled court case that I won and the COSTS thereof ...

You can see how I trust them - you know what I could given them pension statement s phone them about my 200 hundred pound pension they would still mess the issue and my ESA up ...

Im not putting much hope in getting them on any phone line in the morning not sleeping this is how they treat people for 35 + years happy taking monies tax and NI from me fair enough but expected better than this when you need it ...

poppy123456

DWP often share information with a LA so if your ESA is suspended, then this may suspend your HB. If this happens you need to contact your LA to explain what's happened and ask them to restart your HB.

CA will not be suspended. They can't force anyone to claim UC, whether you or anyone else decides to claim it is your decision.

Apollo14LMP

Thank you for the words of reassurance as always ...

See what the Compliance lady says if I can get her - she did ring me back last week when she knew I had contacted her - just doing a job shes okay actually most are .. just a few cant add up and some who are awkward ... like the one in October. This compliance thing is her doing I thinks ...