Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'dwp'.
-
Just had phone call from DWP telling me my ESA is ending today(8 weeks after my medical)??? I had my medical on the 1st July 2016,which as usual I have received "0"points! They have told me I have to make a claim today (so that I get a continuation of benefit??) Can somebody please tell me if they can do this with no warning? And will this cause problems with my housing benefit/council tax(which happened to me before, whilst waiting for my appeal and took months to sort out(but lost out on a lot of benefit) so now i'm terrified that its going to happen again!!!! Any advice would be welcome Thanks -
This morning the dreaded brown envelope arrived on the door mat inviting me to begin the process of converting from DLA to PIP. Long time users of the forum may remember the fun and games involved in converting my IB to ESA, so will guess that I'm less than ecstatic about this, but I knew this day would arrive eventually and so have prepared as thoroughly as I can. Step 1 is make the actual claim. DWP know, or should know, that I don't do phones and have known this for at least 10 years, so I'm less than happy to get a letter demanding that I phone them though obviously realising it's a standard letter and an organisation as big as DWP can't possibly be expected to avoid deliberately upsetting claimants by asking the impossible. On top of that, I'm told very firmly that I must claim as soon as possible and certainly within 4 weeks. Since the letter has taken a week to get here, that's already reduced to 3 weeks, so I bite the bullet and decide it's going to be dealt with straight away. Carer phones the number on the letter and after countless repetitions of 'find the answer to your query online' and 'you could call back later' finally gets to speak to an actual human being. Now, both carer and I appreciate that the people answering the phones don't necessarily have that much training in the specific benefit that they're dealing with, but the service we received to day was totally appalling, particularly since this is the dedicated PIP helpline. First, the phone person insisted 4 times that he had to speak to me and only gave up when carer asked what he thought 'can't make or receive telephone calls' actually means and was he suggesting we were making this up. Then he had to go and ask someone else what he had to do. After another long pause, he advised we have to write in to ask for a paper form, he can't ask for it on our behalf and we can't phone anyone to ask for it. Since we know from experience that getting a response from DWP to an actual letter is likely to take weeks if it happens at all, this was not an acceptable solution given the tight time limits already in place. After some arguing, we were passed to a manager. Again, after an enormous amount of arguing and another query as to what they think 'can't make or receive telephone calls' means, my carer faked me saying 'yes' so they would agree to post a form to us immediately. The explanation for their refusal to do this otherwise was on grounds of data protection, which is of course total b******s. How could they possibly breach data protection by sending a form to a claimant's address? Even if the claimant hadn't asked for it and didn't want it, all they would have to do is not fill it in! Also, this particular benefit was set up as a phone only benefit, so there's nothing in place for claims to be made any other way. Again, b******s because paper forms are available (though not downloadable because they have to have your name and NI number printed on them), and my previous research led me to believe a simple phone request for the form was sufficient, and even if it's true, it shouldn't be. There must be plenty of disabled people who cannot use a phone for some reason, so making a disability benefit only claimable by phone can only be designed to exclude a proportion of potential claimants. Not surprisingly, I am absolutely fuming. Can you imagine what would happen if your bank suddenly decided they would only offer telephone banking and if you couldn't do that, tough - you have to write in every time you want to do anything? So why should DWP be able to get away with this? On top of that, I didn't know until afterward that the first person my carer spoke to automatically assumed that if I can't do phones, I need an appointee - how insulting when for all he knew it was because I'm physically unable to speak? Does being unable to use a phone automatically mean you're incompetent to deal with your own affairs? I so want to take them on over this, perhaps starting with a few disability forums of which I'm a member, and my MP. I'd also like to try a formal complaint, though from experience it will get absolutely nowhere. Any other suggestions folks? -
I recently transferred from DLA to PIP. On my award letter it stated that any carer's allowance in payment wouldn't be affected by the change. However, as you can guess there is a glitch in the DWP system which meant that son's carer's allowance was stopped without warning. Easy enough to resolve with a phone call, but for anyone transferring it's as well to be aware that there could be a problem. In son's case as this happened over Xmas it was actually 3 weeks before he realised and in the meantime had incurred £54 in bank charges which DWP have agreed to refund.
-
Hi, I have called the DWP on a number of occasions now in relation to ESA and everytime I've ended up in an argument with them about whether medicals are largely a mandatory part of the process. Some staff state categorically to me that everyone has to go for a medical, some say that only the terminally ill don't have to attend them. I have generally remained calm when they've stated this but it really infuriates me when they keep pushing the point. I have been awarded ESA a couple of times without having to attend a medical at all and I am not terminally ill. I state this to them and they still tell me I'm wrong.... I know that many people are awarded ESA simply on the basis of the ESA50 or that plus medical evidence which is obvious just from a quick internet search. please check this benefits and work link (what's all this Disney busines?) co.uk/news/2706-no-wca-medical-for-almost-three-quarters-of-esa-claimants Have the rules recently been changed? I was awarded ESA without a medical a couple of years ago. It really infuriates me when DWP staff will not listen to what you're saying and are adamant that what they're saying is true, even when presented with figures to the contrary. Their general tone from the outset is incredibly disrespectful and argumentative. At first I thought this was a one off case but whenever I call I get the same sort of response and normally they just end up hanging up the phone. -
Hi All Around 2015 I came in to about 10k and informed the DWP about getting the money and how I was going to depose of it... 7k CC debt and 2K on OD.....told them this when I wrote to them....they cut my benefits cause of it...£60 every month 12 months in 2016 later there writing to me about this 10K.... spoke to them and got told you didn't tell us the change in your circumstances ?, lady I spoke to asked me to send in proof of money spent ... ie bank statements and everything will be sorted...... which I did within days .....Now they come back getting the letter today 5th ... wife's income, housing cost, dependents and expecting a reply by 8th... are they dumb or something.....and this is besides they 35 mins it took to get my call answered..... Ive done what I was asked to do last month by sending them the proof..... so whats all this other crap they are diggin at... I have nothing to hide......
-
Hi guys, making this post for a friend of mine. Wondering if any of you awesome folks could offer some experience/helpful advice. So basically I was mandated to attend an Ingeus appointment last month, however on the day of my appointment I was suffering with a terrible migraine (I get them occasionally and they can be quite bad). I have phoned in sick before and never had a problem (I think last time I missed an Ingeus appointment was last year). However I phoned in sick this time on the day of my appointment early in the morning (my appointment was some time in the afternoon I think) explaining I was ill and if it would be possible to rearrange. I rang them and tried to speak to my advisor but he was busy so I spoke to the receptionist at the main desk on the phone said that would be fine but they would have to inform JSA that I was phoning in ill and missing my appointment which I said OK that's fine. Fast forward a week later after I phoned in I got a letter in the post from JSA with a page of questions just asking why I was off ill, who I spoke to, did I phone in before hand etc? 6 or so questions just asking me to state the reason I missed the appointment. I filled it all in explaining the situation exactly and sent it off thinking that would be the end of it. Some time passes and I now get a letter saying they are stopping my JSA for 4 weeks "We have now decided that you did not comply with the requirements of the scheme to which you have been referred and that you did not have sufficiently good reasons for doing so". What are my next steps here? I know you are allowed 2 periods of sickness in a a year up to a maximum of 2 weeks each. I've had no other periods of sickness this year. I phoned in ill as I've done in the past last year as normal. Yet now they've acted like I did not phone in and just skipped my appointment and sanctioned me. As I said i've not been ill at all this year and attending my JSA appointments etc as normal. I have always followed the rules correctly so I just don't understand how they can sanction me? it seems to be a case of shoot first ask questions later.... Thanks for any help. -
Hi guys I rang the DWP about a change in my circumstances. The guy on the phone told me I had to send some evidence in but the address he gave me sounded really weird- I wonder if anyone knows if this is right?: FREEPOST DWP ESA 36 Thankyou
-
I need help, I received the attached letter today. I did try to phone them but the system is down and they said they would phone me back-they didn't. I have no idea what it could be about. In the address it has (SF) so I am thinking it may be a social fund payment still owing-but for that much? If this is the case then it must date back to 2007 when I was out of work. I did get a similar letter back in 2012 saying I owed £1400. I repeatedly send recorded delivery letters asking for an explanation and they just ignored me and sent repeat threatening letters. Eventually it went to a DCA and I challenged it saying the 'debt' was in dispute. They sent it back to DWP and I didn not hear anything until today. Can anyone advise me what to do?
-
Can the DWP dictate the payment method of which benefits can be paid, ie bank account, post office card account or any other ?..
-
Hi, I live in central London, I've got a lovely flat I've lived in for 8 years now. I haven't had kids yet because I believe in being responsible and if I can't afford them I shouldn't have them. However, I've changed my mind today. Having been through the joke that is the work programme, I had the indignity of having to go to a benefit meeting today where I had to show my I&E to see if I was better off in work. Because I get the maximum Housing Benefit the system allows, I could never get a job that would pay enough to cover my rent. But the [edited] advisor was trying to make me take a minimum wage joke job like [edited] I'm 20yrs old! I'm in my 40's and English! I love my flat and wan't to stay here but the landlord finally put up the rent. This advisor even said, and I quote "Well, the only way you can stay on the dole and afford to stay in your flat is if you have a kid then the council will have to pay for you!" Is that what it's really come to? Are kids now a commodity for English people to get enough benefits? I understandably walked out. I'm probably sanctioned now. But what can I do when by their own calculations it shows I'm better off NOT working! Non-judgemental advice welcome please.... -
I get paid universal credit tomorrow and today received a letter that £177 was deducted because it says I had £383 take-home pay. I work as a steward at a football ground and I have only received £40-80 off that in the month 7th April to 6th may stated on the letter it applies, (it said nothing about the work I do as I havnt declared itt) just can't see where they're getting £383 from, what can I do? Any advice appreciated
-
Currently I receive income related ESA and have done for a few years now. Presently I live with my parents but my significant other has just bought a house and wants me to move in. My significant other earns over £30k a year so that takes use above the limit for being eligable for benefits I believe so I need to inform the DWP to inform them of the change and my benefit money will stop. The house they have bought needs a lot of work done to it and so I don't think I will move in until september at the earliest as due to my illness I am unable to live there while work is being done. I would like to know when I should contact the DWP about my change of circumstance. Can I wait until I move in then just write to them telling them of the date of the move or should I tell them in advance and if so how much in advance. What should I expect should I just call them, do they send a form out? I am not long through an assessment period, will telling them I am planning to live with a partner trigger another assessment?
-
It's just a cash gift to me as he's "splashing the cash" after the sale of his deceased parents' house, but I don't know if I should declare it to the DWP, because they might then decide I don't need the ESA or HB at all and just use that money instead for a couple of months. I wouldn't put it past them, frankly. What should I do? -
Hi All Around two years ago, almost to the day right before xmas, the DWP applied to my employer for a Direct earnings attachment for £479 which they took in three months. These were for three different benefit overpayments dated back to 2003 I thought that this would be an end of it but today they have just done the same thing again .... This time they are after £278 ...... I haven't got a clue what this is for as i've had no letters from then since the last time Seeing as i have been employed with the same firm for eleven years these debts must be older than that. Surely they can't keep doing this? Should they have not calculated what i owed the first time they came after me not wait two years then start again? At the moment i am really struggling my bills keep going up but i haven't had a payrise since 2008 and this really is the last straw.. It looks like they've ruined the second Christmas in two years. Any help would be gratefully received. Thanks
-
READ MORE HERE: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dwp-announces-extra-support-for-armed-forces-spouses-and-civil-partners-to-help-protect-their-state-pension -
DWP - attendance allowance - paid into wrong account
missyyellow posted a topic in Benefits and HMRC
Hi, Hope someone can help, we applied for attendance allowance for my 85 year old mum, she had to send her PO details on the form, but unfortunately when she got the details of her account from the PO help line, the last number of the sort code was put down wrong, whether they told her wrong or mum put it down wrong we don't know, her account number was correct, £411 was paid out in back pay to her, but obviously didn't get into mum's account, when I phoned DWP they said because we had put the number wrong, and mum had signed it there was nothing they could do and suggested calling the PO, on calling the PO help line we were told, there was nothing they could do and it was up to the DWP to sort it, I believe that this money has been sat in limbo for the past 2 weeks as it hasn't been sent back to DWP. Can anyone help my mum is getting very distressed about this, and both sides seem to just wash their hands of it, I cant understand why the DWP are happy just to leave £411 going nowhere!!! -
I could not believe I was reading this... -
I started claiming in December and from 23-12-15 I wa given an 82 sanction (dismissal from work) and 2 weeks ago I had a back to work appointment but couldn't attend due to me having a doctors appointment at the roughly same time. I called up universal credit and there was a problem getting me a new appointment so they said my local job centre would call me with s new app intent which they didn't (didn't bother me I understand they're busy) I didn't get a call so called up this morning and was given a new appointment for this Thursday morning with the same advisor that spoke to me like **** previous appointment I attended (it's on another thread I posted about the advisor speaking to me like ****) and it clashes with something personal (family) and + I do t want to attend with her again (he said on the phone only sh is available. So my question is with me already being sanctioned unroll pretty much April could I still cancel this on q phone call on the morning before it? I'm interested in getting back in to work but I am not sitting in front of her again, I would rather wait for my usual advisor who he isn't available for a few weeks I was told, would be cancelling Thursday affect my sanction further or is it ov been sanctioned anyway so it would be ok? Thanks in advance : ) -
just recieved a letter from ipsos ,asking me to take part in a survey at home , 45 mins max ,regarding the experience i have had on the work placement i have been on , also the job club.they say i will recieve a financial benafit at the end of the survey, but dont mention how much,i will get.should i do the survey or ring the number given to opt out.
-
Morning Everyone, This Forum has helped me on a previous a Previous occasion and i was hoping for further advice on a new problem. Ive been contacted via mobile text from a company called CCS. Upon searching , I Discovered that they are a debt collection agency for the DWP. I Called The DWP debt dept this morning and asked them if I owed them funds. I was informed that I had indeed taken out a social fund loan of £250 out in 2008. I had just left a spell in rehab and had forgotten all about it. I did'nt claim benefit until July 2013 Until Nov 2013, J.S.A, so no repayments toward the social fund loan were taken until then. I have gone through my letters this morning, and found that i had being paying the DWP back at £2.96 per week for this JSA period. No payments have been made since Nov 2013 , the last time i received Benefit. I am not on benefits and not in paid work, living at home with my partner, Which i informed the DWP of this morning.The DWP debt department have been sending their letters to my old address for the last 2 years.I have given them my current Address tHis morning.Although i have received other documentation i.e pension statements from them at my current address, The Lady at the DWP informed me that the debt has been passed to CCS, and they cannot deal with me directly. I informed the DWP that i will not be dealing or responding to the CCS debt collection agency in any way shape or form , and i will throw away any letters that i recieve from them. I will only deal directly with the DWP. The DWP Lady said she will e mail CCS with the conversation we have had telling them that i will ignore all their letters. Can anyone advise my of my next step , im willing to pay the approx £200 back at £5 per month either by direct debit or cheque/payment card. Sorry for going on and on. Hope to get some advice to ease my nerves. thanks. xx:|
-
My ESA (Support Group) award had a prognosis of 18 months (I have epilepsy) which ends 12th Feb 2016. I have just been told by Maximus that as yet the DWP have not informed Maximus about my reassessment. I had heard that the ESA50 should land on my doormat 2 weeks before the end of my award ie I should have received today What does this mean? If the DWP have not told Maximus to drag me in for ESA reassessment then can I assume they will simply award me a stay of execution without another ESA medical? Any advice appreciated Cheers SD
-
I started claiming UC in December and was sanctioned for 91 days and today there is 51 days left to run on it, this morning I went to an appointment with an advisor and she immediately was very grouchy picking up my blue card and shouting 'who is this' I responded and she was snotty. Anyway she called me over and said 'Yorker job search isn't really up to scratch' I responded politely 'I know,sorry it's because I have been sanctioned it's minimises my job search, Iv had interviews Iv been I haven't been able to go to because I havnt hardly any money to support it' she never said anything while I stood there like a **** waiting for a response, then she just said 'sit down', she never said another word and just give me this envelope with 2 sheets and said 'put you're job search on there and send it off to them ok, and just plonked it down on the desk when I had my hand out to get it. The point is I'm already sanctioned tell pretty much April so will this affect it if I don't send the form off? Edit: I lost the sheets on the way home but still have envelope, I called the UC number and the advised on the phone agreed with me saying Iv been sanctioned anyway but wasn't sure it will extend it, So she put a Note on the system saying Iv lost the sheets
-
The Government is spending more money assessing whether people are fit to work than it is saving in reductions to the benefits bill, a damning official report has revealed The study by the National Audit Office (NAO) found that the Department for Work and Pensions is handing over £1.6bn over the next three years to private contractors who carry out the controversial health and disability assessments. But at the same time, the Government’s own financial watchdog has warned that savings in benefits payments are likely to be less than a billion pounds by 2020 as a result of the new tests. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/dwp-fit-to-work-assessments-cost-more-than-they-save-report-reveals-a6801636.html -
Hello. I am currently getting income based JSA for about 1 year now. I stay with my mum, But all of a sudden my mum is saying i need to pay £27 towards to rent as the council will only pay £109. So why now do i need to pay. I have a brother who gets ESA, and my mum gets income support. What are causing the housing benefit deduction, My brother only started claiming ESA this year in march, And all of a sudden the housing benefit is cut. So could someone help me because i am getting the impression the cut is because of me but i have been getting jsa for around a year and my mum has been getting full housing benefit since untill now.
-
I have had a letter from the DWP stating they they be taking £165.00 from my wages and have informed my employer. The letter from the DWP is very clear when this debt was from nor any details, it just states the amount. I have checked and i have not had any letters from the DWP about any debt or monies outstanding. How do i stop this from happening as it will be listed on credit file. Or can they just do what they went ????? :mad2::mad2::mad2:
