Random phone call from DWP to check changes in circumstance?

[bigissue]

At 11am this morning I had a phone call from someone saying they were calling from Employement and Support Allowance and that it was nothing to worry about but that they are trialling phone benefit reviews rather than sending out forms.

 

She then proceded to ask me questions about others living in the home, if anyone new had move in,

if I had savings of more than £5000

, if I had done any paid work or undertaken any course of study,

I said no to all which is true.

 

I have had no change in circumstance that I would need to tell them about.

 

They didn't ask any questions at all about my health which is also unchanged.

 

After I had answered all those questions they told me that all was fine that I wouldn't get a change of circumstance form but that any other letters or forms I got from them I should do what they say and that was that.

 

I don't know what to think,

I had my last ESA review in March 2013 and then seemed to be one of the lucky ones who had reassessment deferred for two years from January 2014 so I was expecting reassessment early next year.

 

Anyone know about this new trial of phone reviews?

Does this mean that I will get a new ESA50 now or was it just them checking that my circmstances were all as they had on file?

[dx100uk]

The mrs had the same months ago

 

No worries at all

Nothing resulted in it

 

Dx

[antone]

Agree, nothing to worry about. This is basically the Compliance department running a routine check. They don't check up on your medical situation, and it won't change when your next WCA/ESA50 is due.

[bigissue]

Thank you both for your replies that is very reassuring!

 

Thank you

[Consumer dude]

It could have been anyone on the phone and I may have asked them to contact me in the post..

[bigissue]

They did call from the standard DWP number which I checked online also they didn't ask for any specific information like accounts and so on, so I think it was legitimate.

[Consumer dude]

They did call from the standard DWP number which I checked online also they didn't ask for any specific information like accounts and so on, so I think it was legitimate.

 

Fare enough..

[Nystagmite]

Does this mean that I will get a new ESA50 now or was it just them checking that my circmstances were all as they had on file?

 

You have to remember that's two different things. They're checking that your claim on the basis of income is correct.

[mikeymack2002]

Please don't forget that there are programs that can generate fake numbers and list it as a genuine DWP number.... A useful tool for the con artist...

[Mmsue]

At 11am this morning I had a phone call from someone saying they were calling from Employement and Support Allowance and that it was nothing to worry about but that they are trialling phone benefit reviews rather than sending out forms.

 

She then proceded to ask me questions about others living in the home, if anyone new had move in,

if I had savings of more than £5000

, if I had done any paid work or undertaken any course of study,

I said no to all which is true.

 

I have had no change in circumstance that I would need to tell them about.

 

They didn't ask any questions at all about my health which is also unchanged.

 

After I had answered all those questions they told me that all was fine that I wouldn't get a change of circumstance form but that any other letters or forms I got from them I should do what they say and that was that.

 

I don't know what to think,

I had my last ESA review in March 2013 and then seemed to be one of the lucky ones who had reassessment deferred for two years from January 2014 so I was expecting reassessment early next year.

 

Anyone know about this new trial of phone reviews?

Does this mean that I will get a new ESA50 now or was it just them checking that my circmstances were all as they had on file?

 

Hi I just wondered if you had heard any word back from them as I got one of these calls today