Government department fails to meet DDA

Wibbles

I suffer from a lack of speech and often have problems dealing with officials who don't grasp the problem

However - this morning, I had an issue that really "takes the biscuit"

I am trying to contact DWP "Future Pensions Service" re a NI credit query and discovered that they don't have a live chat facility - and when I raised a complaint about this - I was told "If you’re unable to phone, contact a voluntary organisation (eg Citizens Advice) in your area or get a friend or family member to call."

THIS IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH - Why should I not be able to deal with this myself ?

I even resorted to trying "RELAY" but the line is permanently busy !

So I have asked that the complaint be escalated

This brought back an almost instant response "Phone 0800 731 0175 to make a complaint"

How stupid can DWP be ?

I am currently fuming and deciding my next action

Hannah_Scope

That's so infuriating! and that could be your personal and private information, what if you don't trust a third party to relay that for you? 

Wibbles

Hannah_Scope said:

That's so infuriating! and that could be your personal and private information, what if you don't trust a third party to relay that for you? 

Exactly - plus on principle, everyone is entitled to a way of communicating with a government department without assistance of someone else'

They have it coming to them

2oldcodgers

Has the art of writing letters disappeared?
I still write letters to the DWP/Pension Service and receive a letter back in reply.
I hate phone calls as there is no record of what was said.
I refuse to have a mobile phone
Emails are not secure