ESA Form Deadline: The 7th. Sent 29th. Signed for on 3rd. Atos have no record?

Aionic

I sent my son's ESA50 form (I'm his appointee) back 1st Class Recorded on the 29th of October, as stated in the title, to WV991RQ / Post Handling Site B. To give my son peace of mind, I sent it recorded and gave him the barcode so he could track it. This only made him more anxious because it took until the 3rd for it to be signed for.

However, I've been phoning Atos and the JC every day since and Atos have no record of the form. They keep saying it takes 5-7 days to process. Which is either true and it's pointless giving a deadline or it's just gone missing AFTER bring signed for. They told me to phone again on Friday - the deadline - and then print off another form to send. But I'm afraid they're going to stop his ESA and ignore everything. Does anyone know where I stand: can I get an extension to the date, or is this normal for Atos? I think the form was sent to a benefit sorting office...

tomtontom

That is the address for the DWP Handling Centre. I'd say a week is optimistic for getting it on the system, but give them a call on Friday and see what they say.

Aionic

I used the prepaid envelope they sent. I did notice a different, Birmingham address on the letter that came with it (which confused me) but I assumed I had no choice but to send it where they wanted. And I thought if I sent it with over a week to get there, there wouldn't be a problem. Do you know if there are phone numbers direct to these handling centres? So far I've only been able to find the basic Atos number and JC number on letter that came with form.

Do you think it would be worth re-printing and sending via SD tomorrow morning? If the hold-up is with the handling centre, then I imagine it'd be the same problem again and I'm unsure if they open/allow mail sent direct to Birmingham address... I understand that it's probably for the best to wait until Friday and just phone them (which I will do), but then there's little I can do if they end my son's claim. I don't know why the RM took half a week to deliver the letter in the first place.

TELLIT01

Everything now goes to one of two central sorting offices for want of a better description. The letter will have been signed for there but that doesn't mean it has got to ATOS yet.
To be honest, sending SD or RD, really doesn't speed up the process and can under certain conditions actually slow delivery down. There has been a notice sent round within DWP advising against putting any additional markings on the outside of envelopes because it confuses the automatic sorting system!

JaneDoeJohnDoe

But sending signed-for means that they can not deny they did not get the letter on a certain date. If you are refused benefits as DWP claim it arrived too late you can appeal & of course you WILL have evidence that it arrived at their premises in time.

Aionic

Just to let you know, I rang again just now and they received my son's form today. Crisis averted... for now. Thanks for replying and offering reassurance/advice.

Lesson learned: the benefit system is even more of a mess than it was before, with there now being mail redirecting middle-men that add delays and could lose your mail by sending a second time. Daft.

TELLIT01

The vast majority of mail has always gone to a centralised sorting facility but in the days when Royal Mail handled it all the way the operation was a lot smoother, and more regional, although not without its moments.
It is improving but it ain't great.

epitome

I advise to always send important docs recorded delivery. Not Registered Post, not Special Delivery, not Next Day Delivery.

Then you have evidence that DWP cannot deny, that it was delivered to the DWP nominated office on time.

If it subsequently gets lost, I advise to phone DWP to find the mail and if they say they can't, then to make an official complaint and ask for a WRITTEN RESPONSE. Explaining how they have lost your personal documents, and your private data. And that you will be informing the Information Commissioner.

I would also then complain to the Information Commissioner....That your personal data has been lost by the DWP.