Is this correct please?

judie
judie Online Community Member Posts: 330 Empowering
edited April 30 in Universal Credit (UC)

I did a Right of Access request for my assessors report for LCWRA in 2020. Today they write back and say there is no record of the information asked for because they only keep records for 24 months. Surely there is information on my assessment somewhere? I'm wondering whether to pursue this, how on earth do I know what the assessor said about me?

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  • Holly_Scope
    Holly_Scope Posts: 2,529 Scope Online Community Coordinator

    Hi @judie that's a good question. Generally, what I can find is 3 years for most data. But I'm surprised if that is the case. I'd have thought they would keep this information for much longer. Sorry, that probably wasn't the answer you were hoping for.

  • judie
    judie Online Community Member Posts: 330 Empowering

    Thanks Holly. I just thought there would at least be a summary on my record or how do they know if I'm vulnerable or not? Or why I was put on LCWRA in the first place? I will think about asking them again.

  • Holly_Scope
    Holly_Scope Posts: 2,529 Scope Online Community Coordinator

    You'd think so! Please let us know how you get on. I'm interested to know a bit more about this.

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 5,910 Championing
    edited April 30

    Did you try DWP or the assessment agency?

  • judie
    judie Online Community Member Posts: 330 Empowering

    The reply is from

    Right of Access Gateway team

    Wolverhampton

    Should I have tried the assessment agency? Not sure I can remember which one it was now

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 5,910 Championing
    edited April 30

    If you can remember the assessment agency, they might be worth a try.

    I also would have thought something somewhere would be on the DWP system about why you receive LCWRA.

  • judie
    judie Online Community Member Posts: 330 Empowering

    Thanks@Kimi87

    It is Serco now but it was one of the others before I think. South West. Makes me wonder if I even exist!

  • judie
    judie Online Community Member Posts: 330 Empowering

    It was Acos but they no longer exist. Probably why they can't find any record of the assessment

  • WhatThe
    WhatThe Online Community Member, Scope Member Posts: 4,011 Championing
    edited April 30

    Hi judie, try again with this address (capitalised, yes) RIGHTOFACCESS.REQUESTS@DWP.GOV.UK

    My requests were made two years ago and included assessors' reports going back to 2008.

    I had to make three requests to get most of the information I wanted and lots of the files were redacted. They told me to ask for ALL DATA.

    Perhaps ask for records going back to your first claim. Mine began in 2006 but DWP twice re-sequenced my start dates so that it appears I became entitled in 2008.

  • judie
    judie Online Community Member Posts: 330 Empowering

    @WhatThe thanks, it's worth a try

  • WhatThe
    WhatThe Online Community Member, Scope Member Posts: 4,011 Championing

    One of files I was sent was UC which I hadn't asked for. One file was waiting to be printed for a month and it took three (to redact the top secret data 😄)

    Be patient and determined. If your data has been wiped then there's a serious problem at DWP but knowing them, they are just being awkward or a bit lazy. Specify benefits and dates and see what you get this time.

  • judie
    judie Online Community Member Posts: 330 Empowering

    There is an email address on the letter so I've asked for them to look again.

  • WhatThe
    WhatThe Online Community Member, Scope Member Posts: 4,011 Championing
    edited April 30

    They won't change the search terms so you should start a new RAR. That's what I had to do. Sorry I didn't make that clear.

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