ESA Backdate HELP

AdamManc88

Hi all, first time poster here after some help regarding ESA...


It seems i'm chasing my tail with DWP....

The date i wished to claim from was put in for 28/6 on the system when i told the lady when making the claim 28/5 and they have medical notes covering this date...

I was told 2 weeks ago when first chasing it up to go to my local job center and get a 'backdated claim form' which when arriving at my job center was told this form was only for JSA and not ESA.

Rang the following day to be told 'write a letter explaining why you wish to backdate' which i did. A 2 page letter covering all the dates and reasons, posted it 1st class recorded and it was signed for a few days later.

I heard nothing or over a week then rang them last Thursday to be told 'we can see everything on our system and i PROMISE a decision maker will call you between 9am and 1pm tomorrow (Friday) - Of course this didn't happen.

Received a voice mail today (Monday 29th) saying they apologise but they have 'deleted something from the system' and i have been posted an ssp1 for in post in order to backdate.

There is a form after being told there is, then there isn't, and now apparently there is.

Isn't the ssp1 form the big huge initial claim form?
Am i going to have to fill all this out again?

It seems i'm chasing my tail all the time with DWP.

They are quick to tell me i need a new fit-note,
need to do my atos forms,
to wait in for a call that doesn't arrive... but due to human error on their part i now have to make many phone calls and fill even more forms in.

Do they want me to just give up on getting the 4 weeks im owed backdated?

So angry right now so apologies if it came across in my post.

They are all on different wavelengths and this is in no way efficient to the claimant.

So i have to fill in an ssp1 again?

Advice appreciated,

Thanks

Adam

Horseunderwater

It is only a one page form. It is not the ESA1 that you completed originally. It might have 2 sides though. Simples really.

AdamManc88

Thanks horse :money:

AdamManc88

Well,

It turns out it is the FULL ESA1 booklet i have to fill out again. I received it in the post today and phoned them asking what the deal was.... they said there is no way round it other than to fill a brand new claim form in for the backdated ESA claim, so there goes another hour of doing things to get it backdated.

So when i claimed on 01.07.13 (exactly 1 month ago) the lady put the wrong dates in even though my medical statements covered me from 28.05.13 she entered it as 28.06.13. I was told to get a 'backdated claim form' from job center to be told that this form is only or JSA. Then i was told just write a letter explaining why i wished to back dtae, which i did. I heard no reply and phoned them again to be promised a call the ollowing day by a decision maker, and i never got this call.

And now i've been told i need to fill a whole ESA1 claim booklet in again as if it were a new claim, just to backdate the 4 weeks that was messed up on DWP's part.

They are all singing off different hymn sheets over there and the chasing i have had to do, and 4 or 5 60min plus phone calls to an 0845 number is just beyond a joke.

Your telling me there is not a simple 'backdate claim form' which applies to ESA? Well there is not and i had this confirmed today. Had to do a whole new claim as aopposed to a simple backdate request.

At my wits end. And all because of an error on DWP's part i have had to chase my tail or a month now.

Feeling annoyed :mad:

Adam

lemontart

make sure all forms you complete get either scanned into your computer or photocopied, useful for next form and missing forms, hand it into jobcentre plus get a receipt for it, and use phones at jobcentre plus to call rather than own phone,

Did get told yesterday by dwp that if you call the new claims number from a tesco mobile there is an agreement that this particular free phone number is not charged for by them , but that is an 0800 number.

epitome

You were sent a copy of the statement when you made your claim, it asks you to make any ammendments and phone them. When you phoned them for the date of claim correction, should have asked for a callback from the new claims department to confirm the date of claim ammendment.

There is no backdating claim form for ESA. My understanding is that if the date is correctly input by the new claims agent on the statement then you have to do an ESA1. But if the date is incorrectly input, I'm not sure what your telling them will achieve. But then it does appear to change with different offices, maybe some offices will just backdate on a verbal request.

You can phone 0845 for free from a jobcentre
You can phone new claims 08000 from Tesco, 3, Orange, O2, Vodaphone, Virgin, for free but they can't ammend a claim date or transfer the call.

Although I agree with handing in important forms (ESA50) to the JC and get a receipt, a lot of JC do not seem to understand what a paper complimenatry slip is and they will tell you "we cannot give receipts" which of course is absurd & nonsense. And even having given these forms to JC with a receipt, does not guarantee delivery, they can still get lost, a lost form still needs to be completed again, the only thing a receipt will achieve, is that, you will get a "Good Cause decision" if things go bad for you as a result of the form being lost.