Income support - suspended (from 2 weeks ago?)

[fran1phil]

Hi - I need advice regarding any rights I may have; following DWP decision to cease my Income Support Payments? Received DWP letter this morning, advising me that as from 08/05/2013 they cannot pay me - for failing to return A2, sent to me on 26/04/2013.

 

I contacted them immediately, explaining that I had in fact completed and returned the A2 form to them on Monday 6 May 2013. On checking, they advised me that it had not been received by them and were going to issue a duplicate A2 to me via post.

 

I queried the fact that they had mad a decision to stop my Income Support Payments, with effect from 08/05/13 (2 weeks ago); as I am paid fortnightly; I had been due a payment tomorrow which I had been relying on and asked how the hardship this will cause me can be dealt with? The lady said she would get a BA to contact me from the section, which would be between 1pm today, up to 1pm tomorrow?

 

I expect call will be tomorrow, but wanted to ensure I ask the forum how I might go about getting my payments back on track, pending their receipt of a dupliate A2 form from me?

 

It just seems ridiculous to take such action, retrospectively - causing extreme hardship unnecessarily. Why can they not threaten to stop such benefits, if information not received by X-date, allowing you a bit of time to liaise with them and ensure info reaches them within set timescale.

 

As I am paid fortnightly; it is really messing up all my accounts/outgoing payments, council tax, shopping etc. I am also considering they will likely mess up my housing benefit payments now also!!! Its ridiculous!!! All this mayhem and hardship this drastic action will now cause for me and my family, when a simple reminder would have got things sorted out without so much chaos.

 

Any advice anybody can offer me, so I can probe the DM calling me tomorrow with a view to getting my payments reinstated until they receive the duplicate sending of A2 - recorded delivery?

 

Please Please any advice - would be very much appreciated. The next fortnight going to be a nightmare without IS payments in progress and esp no advance warning, to prepare me?

 

Many thanks in advance to all!

Nadia

 

[flumps1976]

If you are able to attend a local JCP office you could ask that you are booked a customer service appointment for a copy of the A2 review form to be scanned over to the relevant BC to allow them to be able to lift the suspension.

However the A2 review forms are not held at the JCP office so you may also need to ask that the form is scanned over to them beforehand to be printed off for you to complete firstly.