ESA Support Group back pay?

Sixer

NASA wrote: »

Have you seen one of the letters?

It says, in black and white, that due to a change in circumstances there may now be arrears due to you but that before the payment is issued the department needs to consider outstanding overpayments on the account. It also says that once the calculations have been done that any arrears left will be issued.

That is very clear cut.

But NASA, you're missing my point. Have YOU seen the huge numbers of people who simply do not understand what their letters are saying? I know you have because you spend a great deal of time talking to people who post on here saying they don't understand them. All you ever say is "they're perfectly clear". But why would people even post if they were perfectly clear? That's a nonsense even you can see, surely?

Mostly, the issue seems to be that the calculations don't seem to tie in with the text of the letters. Presumably they must do, but people are so commonly unable to relate what the letter says with the calculations, there is obviously a need for improvement.

Especially considering that people are required to understand them sufficiently to spot any mistakes leading to overpayments.

NASA_2

I dont always say that the letters are perfectly clear. On a number of occasions I have bemoaned the fact that so many of the letters issued are generic or simply misleading. Most recently I stated this about letters issued regarding mortgage support as people always think they are being deducted money when they really are not being deducted at all. So to say that 'all I ever say is 'they're perfectly clear'' is the nonsense here.

The arrears inhibited letter is clear though. It states that there is both an overpayment on the account and potential arrears due and that they wont be paid until the offset is considered. Except it says it in a simpler manner than I just did.

Tofudragon

The main confusion for me about the arrears payment was that one, I had no idea I would be entitled to ANY back pay for those periods mentioned above and two, it also said that if you do not hear from us 5 days after the letter date about the arrears/back pay contact us. Which I did to ask about it and when it was due to be paid but I was thrown off and confused by the call centre guy I spoke to when he said it's a computer-generated letter response and the back pay thing shouldn't be on there or is usually a mistake - hence asking for a bit more info in this thread whilst I was waiting for a call back whilst he looked into the issue.

This is my first time applying for ESA so I have been walking into the process not as clued up as most. I did as much reading over the internet as I could but you can't always find the answers you want and it doesn't help that some at the call centre are very vague.

Regardless, I got called back couple of hours after I posted this thread and said the amount was correct and I was due it, so they just got to work on making sure it's going into my personal account.