My letter was delivered and signed for but has been ignored. Does anyone know how I should proceed? The telephone assistants are rather unhelpful. Is there another address I can send it to? A 'big boss' email address I can contact? Thanks in advance guys

I don't mean to seem rude, but I'm fairly certain that's what they said. How else would I have qualified for the support group with no ATOS assessment at all, for 60 weeks?!

No problem, you gave me hope! On the phone now. Very hopeful! EDIT: The lady said it's very strange that she can't see my DLA eligibility because usually it is all linked, and usually they should have send out a change of circumstances form automatically. I am certain I do indeed get DLA as I called only last week to ask for a replacement award letter. She said she will send out a change of circumstances form to me and advised me to attach a letter advising that I have indeed been receiving DLA and eligible for the award all this time. She said in usual circumstances they can only backdate up to three months but she told me to put the date since I've been receiving DLA so they will backdate it from then. (she was kind of unclear on this, I didn't fully understand what she meant) I suppose I should draft a letter to DWP/DLA now rather than wait for the form? I will try to do one now but would appreciate if anyone could direct me to a template or something like that as I'm not very good at formal letters, nor am I sure what to write! I need to shower and make some food but would really like to get this letter out and posted before 5pm, so if someone could help before then I'd appreciate it, it's a struggle doing it all on my own!

Please see above. I did not personally formally inform them with IS10, however it is possible my support worker did but I have no way of checking as it was so long ago. As I mentioned, the fact that they told me 13 weeks in that I didn't need to do an ATOS assessment because of my recent DLA award made me assume that they already knew I was in receipt of DLA.

Thanks a lot for the solid advice. I've just spoken to the ESA guy at my JC who called about me starting work on monday and he said, if I am indeed eligible and the DWP was aware all this time they should in theory backpay me from the date they were aware. As I mentioned, the fact that they told me 13 weeks in that I didn't need to do an ATOS assessment because of my recent DLA award makes me think that they must have known. Does that sound logical to you? He told me to call them right now before he notifies them that my claim is closing down.

I am quoting http://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/f36.htm "a second benefit has been awarded and as a result the claimant is due an increase in the benefit being revised from the date of the decision (for example an increase in income support is due because of a backdated award of disability living allowance)." This sounds similar to my position but I am not too sure. It's all I could find regarding back payments and DLA.

No one is receiving carers allowance for me, no. As I wrote in the edit, I did assume they already knew about my DLA as they said it was the reason that I didn't have to do an ATOS assessment.

Hello all, I applied (well, my support worker applied) for both ESA and DLA at the same time on 19th Sept 2011. The ESA came through straight away, and I was placed in the support group and have been in it since. The DLA took around 5-6 months, but eventually I was awarded higher rate care and lower mobility. I am about to stop claiming ESA and try and start work, starting Monday in fact. I have been reading about council tax, and stumbled upon the 'premium' system. It seems all this time I have been eligible for various disability premiums all this time and unaware that I am eligible. I think perhaps the fact that in between my ESA claim and DLA coming through I had a new support worker contributed to this - I didn't fill any of the forms out myself. I hadn't read anything about premiums on the ESA rates website and assumed the standard rate was exactly that, standard. To be honest I think there is a chance my support worker did indeed send off the DLA award letter once I got it. I'm surprised they didn't just realise themselves, I mean they are all the DWP, isn't it all on their system under my NI number? By my calculation, according to this, I should have been receiving £326.6 fortnightly but have only been receiving £236.70 - I have been underpaid £89.90/fortnight for 70 weeks, totalling approx £3146.50. I am confused by the rules regarding revisions and supersessions and need some advice. I have accumulated considerable debt over the period of being on ESA due to a lack of basic funds and such a backpayment would be a godsend, I could finally pay off all this debt. I have tried to call the DWP to no avail, I was on hold for an hour and the phone cut off. I will try and call back during off-peak times but I thought it best to seek advice here. To give you some more information, I am 24 and live alone. I have no dependants and no parter or anything else like that. I am set to start work on 28/01/13 so it's important that if I am entitled I get it sorted asap. I haven't notified DWP for ESA yet, that's what I was calling for today. Thanks in advance guys. EDIT: I have been thinking about this and I have never had an ATOS medical assessment. My DLA had come through by the time they wanted me for an assessment, and they said to me that I didn't have to do it as I'd already been confirmed in the process of my DLA claim. So surely they knew I was in receipt of DLA?

I emailed Jonathan back with some more details and a pdf of the letter and got this reply: [Edit] Thank your for your email, your further comments and attachments. As you would expect, I was very concerned to read of the extent to which this matter had distressed you. We will duly consider your email, as well as your letter of 21 January 2013, and respond to you in due course. Yours sincerely, Jonathan Will update when I get a reply.

Very well. Thanks for your help.

I just got back from the post office, sending the letter out. Back when I sent the complaint off using the online form and got no reply, I emailed it to an executive email I found online too. I just got a response: this was the attachment: {removed} To be honest, when I saw 'compensation' I was hoping for a little more than £50! I don't get why 'Danielle', assuming it is the same woman who initially called me, has changed her tune so considerably. When she called me yesterday she was adamant that the bank WAS NOT liable, and everything is my fault and I have to pay up immediately or face legal repercussion despite my pleading and explaining. This is rather personal, but I completely broke down after speaking to her whilst on hold when she was transferring to me the debt repayment team for the whole 10 mins I was on hold, trying to cover up my sobbing and rapid breathing when an advisor came back on the line. It had me in a complete mess and left me in a suicidal whirlwind. I am really surprised I recovered, thank goodness for mood stabilisation medicine and thank goodness for you BRIGADIER2JCS - I am almost certain you coming the rescue saved me from things degrading to a much worse state. There is still the matter of the default notice that was filed against me, I have seen no mention of this. Does this mean I still should persist in a reply for my letter? Now I am in contact with the executive office via email, do you think I should send over a PDF of the letter I have sent off today, explaining that it is on the way to them? Once again I'd appreciate your advice BRIGADIER2JCS. Thanks

I have received a reply. What do I do?! Will the letter I have sent be dealt with by her/her department, or am I correct in assuming I have escalated it beyond her department? What is she talking about my FO rights and disclaimer?! Hope someone can help! Cheers

Quick update, received this just now, I assume from the same lady who keeps calling my mobile, redialing again and again and again - why do people now understand that if someone doesn't answer the first time, they aren't going to answer the next 200 times either! (I assume it says Natwest because of the RBS merger) I replied: Will send the letter off this afternoon by recorded delivery.

Will send tomorrow and update the thread when I get a reply. Thanks again for the help!

Will do. Printing it off now, do I need to send it registered/signed for or is normal post OK?