ESA Appeal 'Lost' in Post

pickpocketlocket

gooligan wrote: »

C'mon people,get real.Have you any idea what the ombudsman would do if that were true?
Fact..any correspondence to JobcentrePlus,Disability Living Allowance and ATOS that is sent recorded delivery is hardly ever signed for,that is why we ask for the senders house number and postcode.

Given that the DWP outsource a great deal of their work, and are looking to outsource more, the ombudsman would have no problem with this arrangement.

Edit: This link explains RM's post opening role:

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/81301/response/205664/attach/html/2/FoI%202239%2030.08.11.pdf.html

I send a lot of correspondence to the DWP - I have never been asked for my postcode. Also, you refer to "we", do you mean RM or the Post Office?

mazza111

Gooligan - I hate to say this, but you're wrong on every count


I'm a former postie who also worked in the locker.

If a recorded delivery has been returned to the locker for any reason. It's scanned as such so the tracking would update.

IE: No Answer

I would have scanned the item as undelivered with a code for no answer. I would then have scanned it back into the system as awaiting collection at local Delivery Office.

And you're also wrong about RM not opening DWP letters. It's been well publicised about this. They have a special room where every one is opened and sorted for the attention of DWP.

http://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/index.php/2011/11/government-admits-royal-mail-plays-major-role-in-opening-confidential-post/


The times that it shows "Your item has been accepted and is progressing through our system" Usually either means, no signature has been obtained, or it's got lost in the system somewhere.

custardy

gooligan wrote: »

For Christ's sake,sniggings,with respect you have no idea what you are talking about.
If you want to carry on making yourself look stupid,please carry on but I'd suggest you might want to wait until you are a bit more sober.
The OP's letter was delivered BUT it required a signiture,a signiture wasn't available so the letter is now sitting in the nearest distributing Post Office,waiting for someone to come sign for it.
That's what 'being progressed through our network for delivery' means.

You have no idea what you're talking about
The part in red means it hasnt (officially) had any form of delivery attempt

gooligan wrote: »

C'mon people,get real.Have you any idea what the ombudsman would do if that were true?
Fact..any correspondence to JobcentrePlus,Disability Living Allowance and ATOS that is sent recorded delivery is hardly ever signed for,that is why we ask for the senders house number and postcode.

still no idea
where are you inputting those senders details on the Horizon system?

rogerblack

It may be enlightening to read:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/dwp_and_atos_healthcare_use_of_r
Which gives some outlines of the process.

In short - the DWP use huge 'opening centres' - that open their mail for them, and then re-send it.
It is not a case of the postman turning up at the jobcentre with a bulging sack.

mazza111

But Roger, some posties do have bulging... nm back to the naughty corner

epitome

fishybusiness wrote: »

Had 3 lots of ESA paperwork go missing in June/July.

Jobcentre agreed to allow us to take the documents in, and an advisor faxed them over to the relevant department (appointment was needed).

Have also taken in letters/forms to Jobcentre, ask them to post using internal mail. They gave us a proof of sending form, and letters are tracked through their system.

We did this last year too, seems to be the only way to be sure paperwork gets through when it is important.

Don't be so sure, maybe you have a good jobcentre, but there are plenty of people who do this and the post goes missing between the jobcentre and the benefit centre.

KxMx

I've sent 5 letters RD this year. Two were signed for and tracking updated to show this. Two arrived, were signed for but tracking did not update. One got lost all together.

FWIW, my last RD was to my local BDC and someone signed for it on a Sunday.

rogerblack

epitome wrote: »

Don't be so sure, maybe you have a good jobcentre, but there are plenty of people who do this and the post goes missing between the jobcentre and the benefit centre.

Precisely.
This relies on your jobcentre doing this, and not losing the documents along the way.
This is _not_ tracked, and you may have no proof.

Speaking personally, I take copies of the documents being put into the envelope, pictures of me putting them in, and then send it secure delivery.
This means that even if they do lose it, they are required to treat it as if it arrived 'in normal course of post'.

epitome

A good thing to ask for is a receipt from the jobcentre, for important things like appeal forms and ESA50. Whether the jobcentre will give you one is another matter.

No point asking for receipts for sick notes as these can be late anyway.