ESA and sick notes

pinemartine

Hi, my husband has been receiving ESA and he is in Support group.
He is supposed to receive the payment today but he didn’t.
I rang Jobcentre plus and they said the need to see his sick note. 
We haven’t received any letter for the request and as long as I understand, he doesn’ need to show his sick note while he is in Support group.
Help centre has left a message to DWP to contact him by the end of today. They said the same thing when I made inquiries before but they never contacted me.
I am thinking to write them a letter if they don’t contact him today.
Is there anyone who had similar experience? Any advice apliciated. Thank you.

[Deleted User]

Yes pinemartine, I agree that your husband doesn't need a fit note  - he is in the support group, which means that he passed the work capability assessment and that decision takes precedence anyway over a GP's fit note. 

You could try asking  to speak to a DWP manager when you phone the ESA people again, or else write a letter of complaint, or seek assistance from a local benefits adviser or maybe the local MP. 

Try www.advicelocal.org.

What a  horrid thing to have to tackle. Good luck to you. 

Best wishes


Gill_Scope.

pinemartine

Thank you for the advice. I am trying to speak to ESA help line again but taking so long to get through as you know.
I will speak to a different person and see what they say. 
I will let you know the out come.

pinemartine

I managed to speak to the help line again. They said no need for fit note,  it is their system error and the lady tried to fix it herself but she couldn’t. I was told someone from DWP would contact me in 3hours as she flagged ias argent. It’s been 4hours since but still nothing from DWP. What a nuisance...

[Deleted User]

Well, I hope that your husband's pay comes through soon. You might find that the payment goes into the bank before they have  phoned you (I am ever the optimist).

Good luck and do let us know what happens next.  

Gill

pinemartine

Thank you. I have checked the bank account but no payment so far. I will give up today and try to do something (ring them again or write a complain letter) on Mon... I will up date. 

pinemartine

Thank you, Tomm. I hope they give us the missing payment ASAP as we need it to carry on our daily life.
It’s a regular payment, so if they don’t fix the error, it would happen again. I wrote a complaint letter and I will send it out today. 

[Deleted User]

Any news, Pinemartine?

Gill@Scope

pinemartine

Sorry for not updating...
DWP rang my husband and they transferred the missing payment.He received the regular payment from this month, so it seems they have fixed the system error.
But I don’t know if it is related to this, but he received a misterious letter. It looks like one f those annual letters for information of the change o Welfare benefit rate but the amount for this year is not right (I check the new rate and ESA will be increased a bit from Apr, but the amount in the letter is same as current rate. Then they deducted the new rate of my carer’s allowance. So the letter says his ESA will be less than the current amount.), and there is a detail of calculation at the end of the letter which shows the amount of 2014! 
They might have messed up his data when they tried to fix the error...
I will wait to see how much he receives in Apr then I will contact them if necessary. Or do you think I should request the correct letter now?

susan48

Hi I has a similar letter  last week award notice from November 2017-November 2017!,,,,
Received another brown envelope dated 3days after that one with the correct award. Think there’s a gremlin in there system!!!

susan48

@pinemartine,
sorry I forgot to tag you in last comment I made. I didn’t contact them re mistake, another letter came 3 days later. Hope this helps 

pinemartine

Thank you, susan48. I will wait for another letter. 

ScopeHelpline

Hi Pinemartine

Thank you for the update. One problem solved but another one has arisen. I hope the second letter appears very soon. 

Gill_Scope

pinemartine

Hi, still no correct letter. Should we contact DWP?

CockneyRebel

DWP is run by gremlins

[Deleted User]

Hi Pinemartine

Definitely phone them again, and ask for an estimate of how long a correct payment will take to process. Ask for urgent payment if you have no other income. 
Maybe consider asking your MP for help, or a local specialist benefits advice organisation if there is one.

The MP may be best placed to get some action quickly.

Good luck

Gill_Scope. 

pinemartine

Hi, Gill. Thank you for the comment. 
He has been receiving correct amount so far, but it's time for welfare benefit rate change (new bank year) and we usually get a letter confirming the new rate (2018-2019).
The letter we received shows 2014's rate instead of 2018-19 and the letter says the change happens from the next payment.
I am not sure if he will receive the correct amount or they might pay the wrong amount. We just have to wait and see, I guess.
We think the letter we received is a mistake and we have requested a correct letter by writing anyway.
If he receives wrong amount at the next payment, I will ring them strait away.
i will update the out come.
Sorry I didn't describe the situation well and caused you confusion.
I will up date the out come. .

chloe968

ont know what to do took sick certificate last Thursday to get it faxed over but today ive come home to a reminder and my payment is due Thursday and i dont know why they have not recieved the certificate 

poppy123456

See your other post as i've replied to that.