Dwp/ESA where to complain?

Sarah69

Can anyone tell me where my friend can write and complain about the lack of communication regarding my friends ESA? I have posted several times asking advice on what she can do. She finally got to speak to someone at DWP today it seems they don't seem to know what's going on either. They said she should have been sending sick notes in from March, that's the 1st she'd heard about it! I think this is disgraceful treatment. She has had no money since the end of April and thinks she will not be entitled to ESA!

rogerblack

Is this for a new claim?
If she has not sent sicknotes without explanation for this period, her claim will likely have been closed.
Or is it during an appeal?
Did she miss a medical?
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Jobseekers/ContactJobcentrePlus/DG_186391

Sarah69

I will explain,

She has need receiving CB ESA for around 3/4 years. She failed a medical in 2010 lodged an appeal which she won in May last year. She had a medical in Jan/Feb this year. In April she got a letter telling her she was no longer entitled to CB ESA and to claim IB ESA, in the same letter it said she had failed her medical back in Jan/Feb. She last had money at the end of April. She also wrote in a letter of appeal which had a letter from her doctors.

She sent in claim form for IB ESA. She had a letter saying a compliance officer was coming to see her. He visited on 25 May and asked her to call the office the following week, she did and no one seemed to know why he had been either. She contacted dwp to see if a decision had been made about the appeal, they said they didn't have enough info so she then sent in her hospital admission letter.

She has had trouble trying to get in touch with dwp but finally did today. This is when they mentioned a sick note not being sent in since March. Nobody had contacted her to say she needed to send them in.

She is waiting for somebody to call her from DWP 2moro. This is a slow process but more worrying is that she has no money!

Any help appreciated.

mazza111

As soon as she failed that medical she should have been informed that she should have had to start supplying fit notes. She may be able to get her GP to backdate one, but it is going a bit far back. Even with a fresh claim for ESA she should have been supplying fit notes. Has she handed any fit notes in?

Cpt.Scarlet

You are just confusing everybody by starting another thread on this.

She's not going to paid unless she submits Fit Notes that declare her Unfit for Work and she is eligible for income related ESA.

Sarah69

mazza111 wrote: »

As soon as she failed that medical she should have been informed that she should have had to start supplying fit notes. She may be able to get her GP to backdate one, but it is going a bit far back. Even with a fresh claim for ESA she should have been supplying fit notes. Has she handed any fit notes in?

No she hasn't as she was only told about it today!

Sarah69

Cpt.Scarlet wrote: »

You are just confusing everybody by starting another thread on this.

She's not going to paid unless she submits Fit Notes that declare her Unfit for Work and she is eligible for income related ESA.

All I actually want is a name and address she can write and complain too!

mazza111

Not sure about that, did she not think she would need fit notes when applying for IB ESA?

rogerblack

Sarah69 wrote: »

All I actually want is a name and address she can write and complain too!

Complaining won't help resolve the issue!
She needs to work out the current state of her claim, and what decision she is being treated as appealing against.

I _strongly_ suggest she find someone to talk to in person - CAB or whoever - who are practiced in this area.
This is not a simple and straightforward issue that is easy to do through an intermediary online, especially as it's unclear which decision she's appealed, (or is treated as having appealed), and if there was a fresh claim made.


As I outlined in http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=54931559&postcount=4

Simply complaining about her treatment may well not be a valid route to getting her money restarted.

Sarah69

mazza111 wrote: »

Not sure about that, did she not think she would need fit notes when applying for IB ESA?

No she thought she would be just changing to IB ESA, not having to start a whole new claim. Sick notes won't be a problem she can get them backdated.

mazza111

Think that's going to be the biggest problem here Sarah. She has either not been informed or misunderstood what she had to do as part of her claim. As Roger said, CAB for advice or try to speak to the Welfare Rights Officer at the local social work department.