Hi I phoned ESA on Monday to see if I would be receiving my payment today and whilst on the phone asked if they could tell me about results of medical and operator said the decision has gone in your favour. Had letter today failed medical zero points so phoned them again call centre had no record of sending me a failed letter out and took details for them to contact me back and no decision has been made. What is going on with these people I even asked him again "so the decision has gone in my favour" he said "yes the system has not updated yet and your file is with the payments section a letter is in the post" Benefit delivery centre said no decision has been made although I got zero points decision maker can overturn medical report and award ESA . So my question whats the best way to go about putting a complaint in. Thanks for any replies in advance Suebear

This is what DWP said to MSPs article from Evening times: http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/dwp-man-told-you-are-talking-claptrap-124288n.21068511 TENANTS hit by the bedroom tax should either move, get a job, increase their hours or take in a lodger, it was claimed today. Pete Searle, Department of Work in Pensions, Strategy Director, based in London, stunned MSPs when he said there were smaller homes available. He told the Welfare Reform Committee four ways in which people could deal with the changes, which was then dismissed by one MSP as "claptrap". Mr Searle said: "There are 148 one-bedroom properties in the social sector in Scotland. There were 24,000 new lets in the sector, there are properties there. "Not perhaps all sitting empty at April 1 but there's been plenty of time to prepare for that. "There are a number of responses housing associations and individuals could make. Downsizing is one. "They could take up work in some cases, increase their hours or take in a lodger. "They can use the private sector and some people will choose to make up the shortfall. "I'm not saying this is easy but there are options." MSPs on the committee were outraged by the suggestions. Linda Fabiani, SNP MSP, branded it, "nonsense," and had to be asked by the committee convenor to let Mr Searle continue. Annabelle Ewing, SNP MSP, said it was like "Alice in Wonderland" Kevin Stewart, SNP MSP said: "I've never heard so much claptrap in all my life." Information from the largest housing association in Glasgow and a look at the labour market cast doubt on Mr Searle's assertions. Estimates in the city showed 15,000 homes will be liable for the cut of either 14% for one room or 25% for two or more, costing an average of £52 per month. Glasgow Housing Association estimates 6000 of their tenants would be affected and has a £16m plan to buy up to 300 smaller properties on the open market to meet increased demand. GHA said it currently has only 86 one-bedroom flats available for rent in the city. NG Homes in the north of the city said it had 1321 one-bedroom properties in total. It had only 15 which were currently empty, but some were under offer. A spokesman said: "Our void turn-around is five days and we don't have a lot of properties sitting empty." Queens Cross Housing Association said it had let out 112 one-bedroom flats in the whole of last year out of its stock of 1910 one-bedroom lets. The latest unemployment figures show Glasgow had the fourth highest level of people claiming Job Seekers Allowance at 5.7%, higher than the Scottish rate of 4.1% and the UK rate of 3.9% In Maryhill and Springburn the rate is 7.5%, the highest in Scotland. Many new jobs are part-time in the service sector, with studies and anecdotal evidence showing people want to work more hours but can't, with many having their working hours cut. The Office for National Statistics reported between 2008 and 2012 the number of workers who wanted to work more hours increased by 1 million. to more than 3 million. A recent poll by IPSOS Mori found 40% of people in work said they would take on more hours if they could. Michael McMahon, Welfare Reform Committee convener said: "There was a clear difference between the evidence the Committee has gathered on the demand and availability of social housing in Scotland and the DWP's understanding. "This is incredibly worrying. We will continue to push for answers." New Gorbals Housing Association let 20 one-bedroom flats in the last six months and have 1500 people looking to move into one-bed homes. It estimates 400 of its 2700 tenants are affected.

Hi, my son was banned for drink driving before he even had a licence in 2004 and was jailed (rightly so). He has since been completely clean and requested a provisional in 2007 which he received with the endorsement on it. He has moved address twice since then and informed the DVLA of this without a problem. Last year he took driving lessons and applied for a test, passed his theory and then his full test, at all times providing his documentation (paper) to the test centre. Because he has not received his full licence in the post, he has contacted them to be told that because he has not taken a medical test, his licence is invalid. He is adamant that he has never been informed of this and his original provisional has the original photograph of him which was updated on each subsequent provional, so they know who he is. I hope someone can give me some advice to pass on to him, thanks in advance

Hello All, I'm a newbie here so forgive me if I'm a little off with the format. Two days ago after seeing a van indicate to leave a loading section of the road, I pulled in ahead of him so to reverse as soon as he vacated. The section of the road that I pulled over to was beyond the section that allowed loading/unloading or waiting. At the time I wasn't aware of this and to be totally honest, would never really equate what I was doing to either Unloading or Waiting, since I had manouvered into a position that would allow me to reverse into the loading/waiting area (it is a very busy road so could not have stopped mid street behind the indicating van nor could I have stopped ahead of him for a reverse parallel park after he'd gone). While I was looking back in my side mirrors, quite literally, a Cival Enforcement Officer (although I'd say nothing was civil about the way this particular office behaved) appeared out of nowhere proceding to take a closeup picture of my tax disc. I was totally confused by this so got out of my vehicle to ask what he was doing. The attendant just ignored me, stepped further back and took another picture front facing picture ofmy vehicle. After taking his second snap he walked over to a pole and took another picture of a small 'No Loading/Unloading or Waiting' sign that had an arrow pointing to the right (which is where I was) which incidently I had not previously seen. I tried to explain to him that I was manouvering to park in the space directly behind me to which he simply replied "You now have a ticket" After scrambling my thoughts I then just returned to my vehicle and drove off. In which time he was able to take another two snaps, one from the rear and another from the front. Today I decided to call to find out of a ticket had been issued against my vehicle, and it had! I was able to view the incident details online using the ticket number given to me over the phone. The pictures taken had been uploaded for me to view. When I mentioned to the lady who took my call that no ticket had actually been issued to me, and that the CEO had not even begun the process before I left; she said that it had and that I must have been in that position for at least a minute since 1 picture was taken at 23 and the other 3 at 24 with the ticket being issued at 25 minutes passed the hour. I said that the ticket had not been correctly served, she replied it had, and advised me to appeal if I wished. I understand why parking enforcement companies have a tendancy to recruit cold unscrupulous types, but while it would have made sense for the man to have just explained or warned before issueing a ticket, I would not expect him to tell lies that the ticket had been issued. Please help

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21683739 The Office of Fair Trading says it has uncovered widespread evidence of irresponsible lending among the UK's 50 biggest payday loans companies. It is giving them 12 weeks to change their behaviour, or risk losing their licences. It will also refer the issue to the Competition Commission, after it found evidence of problems in the way that payday loan companies compete with each other. The companies have not been named. Among the poor practices identified was a failure to work out whether people could afford to pay new loans.

Hi My wife is a teaching assistant training to be a teacher. Her head teacher told her last year that she could have her 9 week placement off but would need to be unpaid, today she has been told that if she wants to do her 9 week placement she has to resign??? Advice please. N

I have a tribunal date in March with my former employer. He still has several days in which to reply to the ET claim. I received an email of him saying: "If you had done your homework this does not give you the option of a tribunal and your complaint has been cancelled by the tribunal services. Needless to say your mention of the tribunal is of course nonsense and is only included to try and cause me harm and to extort funds that you are not owed." He then goes on to list all his arguments and make a few more wild claims. Which is great in a way because as well as everything I did have prepared, I am now aware of other arguments or objections. I have had my letter of the tribunal saying the date etc, I have had a letter - this week - of ACAS stating their involvement followed up by a call from one of their conciliators, I confirmed with him that the case was still to be heard although I did not mention the email. I have emailed the employer saying I did not realise it had been cancelled and if it was not a true statement, he was free to admit that. No reply so far. So, assuming, the tribunal is going ahead, the employer has several days yet in which to put their response to the tribunal, I have given him opportunity to say it is a false statement. I do not know if he genuinely believes it or has used it as a tactic.When would I let the tribunal know, I think the taunting/insulting manner of the email works to my advantage but I do not want to let the ET know before he has had several days in which to consider his action. The fact that this would take us past the cut-off date for his response to the ET for the original claim is not my fault. Has anybody any experience of a similar event, they have been told by the respondent that the claim has been cancelled even though it has not.

wife works 3hours 10 mins this has been in the morning since 2008 she had been off with a doctors note for the last two weeks (see other thread) shes now been told that when she comes back they want her time to be done in the afternoon now shes worked mornings for over 10 years all the appoinments (and theres alot coming up) are in the afternoon she also cannot work afternoons for other reasons is she entitled to refuse? is it worth stating customs and practice for these hours to be in the morning