Benefits and 0845 numbers

dookar

Please don't use the saynoto whatever site - they just grab any number for the organisation and generally the person you get won't be able to help you

[Deleted User]

Tigsteroonie wrote: »

I would agree that it's ridiculous that any government agency has a chargeable phone number, as opposed to a free number. Not everybody is on BT with their free calls, there are many other providers ... when you choose phone provider, you don't necessarily expect to be on benefits three months later and needing to make those kind of daytime calls.

And as for getting somebody to call you back - well, you're generally waiting in their automated queue for 10 minutes - all chargeable - before you manage to speak to a human being.

There is no profit made from the phone lines. The cost of your call is actually less than the "real cost" of the call as you need to take in to consideration the maintenance of the contact centres, staff salaries etc.

If the caller wasn't paying at least a part of the cost it would cost the tax payer even more to keep the social security system going.

I am not a big fan of numbers that are not land lines either (as I am a money saver) but I do understand the need for these 0845 numbers and if I didn't want to pay the cost of the call I would go to the local JCP/DWP office or to the local HMRC enquiry centre (if it's for tax credits) where I could use the phone for free.

seven-day-weekend

redz wrote: »

The days that the DWP make mistakes? I think those days are here to stay.

If you're referring to the days that DWP staff treat their customers with respect, politeness and courtesy, well those days are yet to come.

Whenever I have had occasion to speak to them (about Incapacity Benefit) I have always found them courteous and polite.

allydowd

dookar wrote: »

Please don't use the saynoto whatever site - they just grab any number for the organisation and generally the person you get won't be able to help you

I have always found the numbers on http://www.saynoto0870.com/companysearch.php to be reliable if you use the ones on the main database not the unverified database.

allydowd

I use Skype to get cheaper calls. You have to put a minimum of £5 or £10 (I forget which) on the PayAsYouGo system and you need a microphone and headphones (or a plug in USB phone) to make calls. There's no ongoing contract either. It can take a wee while to download the software though.

You can call other Skype users for free and there are competitive rates for calling mobiles and 08-whatever numbers:

eg

Calls to 0800: Free
Calls to UK mobiles: 1.66p/minute
Calls to 0870: 11.8p/minute

If, like me, you only have a mobile phone this service can save you a fortune.

DX2

redz wrote: »

The days that the DWP make mistakes? I think those days are here to stay.

If you're referring to the days that DWP staff treat their customers with respect, politeness and courtesy, well those days are yet to come.

Don't get me wrong all the DWP staff that I speak to are polite, it's just I hate having to tell them that actually what they are saying is incorrect, then they have to speak to a supervisor and then come back and say yes you are correct.
Would it not be better if all DWP staff knew what they were talking about when people had to get in contact with them?

NEH

DX2 wrote: »

Don't get me wrong all the DWP staff that I speak to are polite, it's just I hate having to tell them that actually what they are saying is incorrect, then they have to speak to a supervisor and then come back and say yes you are correct.
Would it not be better if all DWP staff knew what they were talking about when people had to get in contact with them?

I am on an old benefit and most of the newer staff don't even know what my benefit is....I think the supervisor I once spoke to said that they only get training on one particular type of benefit.....The only thing is is there is more than one type of incapacity benefit still around which causes a whole host of problems.

honeyD

Tell me about it! I called loads becuase they were taking weeks to sort out our JSA, it took about 8 weeks to get it and we had no savings so were borrowing here there and everywhere. Ive had my phone bill in for that month and its £40 higher than usual with all these calls. Nice when I only get £50 a week JSA!

dreamylittledream

DX2 wrote: »

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:That's so funny, the JCP ringing you straight back that's a new one on me.

Its actually JCP policy now if you call from a mobile - the agent should offer a callback if on a mobile too - shouldn't need to be requested.

DX2

dreamylittledream wrote: »

Its actually JCP policy now if you call from a mobile - the agent should offer a callback if on a mobile too - shouldn't need to be requested.

I love JCP staff like yourself who know the correct policies