MR process concern

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Mark_St
Mark_St Online Community Member Posts: 13 Listener
in PIP, DLA, ADP and AA
Good morning,
I hope everyone is well and safe.

So basically I have sent the MR letter last week explaining each criteria ( with examples ) and called today asking if they received it.

The call centre ( PIP number - I know they are third party ) confirmed that they received it - and asked me to register the MR on the phone.

I explained that there are 2 process for the MR : either letter or by phone - but the call centre agent kept ' pressurising ' in answering why I did not agree the decision ( bearing in mind I have explained why I disagree with the decision in the letter ).

I did not answer any questions regarding the MR form on the phone as it is already written on the letter, but the agent kept saying unless I or someone on my behalf register each questions then my MR will not be looked at.

I am wondering - can anyone shed some light about this registering process of MR on the phone despite a letter has been sent; or somone that has come across this registering process?

I even mentioned to the agent on the phone that 'this registering process' is not written anywhere on the DWP PIP guidance - and had no answer.

Regards

Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    You absolutely didn’t have to answer any questions related to the MR or request it on the phone. You sent a letter, which was confirmed as being received. Nothing more is needed. 
    As you said yourself they are a call centre, nothing more. 
  • Mark_St
    Mark_St Online Community Member Posts: 13 Listener
    Thank you so much @poppy123456 for your explanation - this made me feel more reassured.

    N.B - I ended up calling the PIP call centre again - in attempt to find out what was going on with the 'registration' and spoke to another agent on the phone who was more knowledgeable.

    Got confirmed that the letter was scanned on the system last week but no one looked at it ( as in - the processing staff did not give the check mark so that it goes to a case manager ) and instantly the agent marked the document ' checked ' and received a message on the phone saying :

    " You've asked us to look at our recent PIP decision again. We will write to you once we've done this ..."

    Hopefully everything goes smoothly

  • Mark_St
    Mark_St Online Community Member Posts: 13 Listener
    edited February 2022

    For future reference and to those who are going to take the Mandatory Reconsideration by the letter route


    I ended up calling to the PIP line once more - to make sure that the PIP MR letter was received properly; the lovely lady I spoke to explained what this ' registration' process is.


    When you send a letter, the mail sorting centre ( those who receive all of your PIP claim/letter - PIP2,MR, etc. ) scan thems, then it is a different department that goes through your letter to decide whether what you sent is a new claim, mandatory reconsideration, new information etc - so they have to decide which department to send your document to.


    What happen in some instances is - The letter does not get processed/people forget at the DWP sorting centre so it takes more time for your MR letter to get processed and arrive at the correct destination, in other cases never processed aka lost.


    In other words, ' registration process ' is simply assigning your letter the correct destionation at the DWP department - in my case, saying the MR letter to go to the MR department.


    So it is always to ideal to:


    1) Send the MR letter

    2) Call the DWP PIP line a week after to check that the letter has been received

    3) Go through the letter you sent with the PIP agent - each page : to make sure that each page was scanned ( you do not have to read words by words - just a headline on each page is enough ) - some agent may avoid doing this, hang up and call again

    4) Make sure that the letter is completed as 'registered' - If the PIP call centre agent says you have to say the reason why you disagree the decision on each criteria on the phone with them or the MR letter you sent will not be registered thus not be looked until you do so - do not answer any question, as you have already explained your reason on the MR letter. Do not argue, simply just thank them for their time and try with a different agent.

    5) You will likely receive a text message on your phone saying " You've asked us to look at our recent PIP decision again. As a guide ... " - this is when your letter has been marked as 'registered' and waiting at the MR department to be looked at


    N.B. - As a general rule - this is my experience but also be prepared to have some questionable PIP phone agents.


    Regards

  • Alex_Alumni
    Alex_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,538 Championing
    @Mark_St thank you for sharing your advice and experience so clearly, I have no doubt it will be really useful for all our members to read.

    I'm glad you were able to persevere and get the information and reassurance you needed! It really isn't an easy process to go through.   
  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,001 Championing
    Username_removed said: The scanning is automated. There is no human involved in that to “forget” anything. 
    Although a couple of years ago I did discover the DWP record of a submitted document only had alternate pages because it had been scanned single sided instead of double sided.
  • Mark_St
    Mark_St Online Community Member Posts: 13 Listener
    edited February 2022
    I do agree that my process was indeed OTT - but I really wanted to make sure that the MR letter was there from the very beginning so in worst case scenario I would not have to deal with chasing up later on and re-send and wait even longer ( more of a practice choice ) ;

    I actually thought that someone at the sorting centre, opened our letter then they scan the document on their printer or whicever machine they have to do so with - just like we would do at our home; so this automated mechanism is very new to me haha - learning new things everyday; although would be interesting to see it in action and how the automated machine scan and flip each page on its own

    Probably the machine is something similar to these:


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