ESA WCA Help

strangeotron

Hi, i'm hoping you might be able to help. I'm having to fill in my ESA50 form having been in the WRAG due to mental health issues for a while. The form, which is different than the one I filled in initially, says that I have to provide a telephone number for the assessment team to contact regarding a WCA appointment. This is not something that is at all convenient, do you know if I can request an alternative? I find dealing with phone calls like this really difficult and I don't live alone so there are discretion issues (I don't expect the DWP to be remotely discreet either).

Thanks in advance.

paragon909

strangeotron wrote: »

Hi, i'm hoping you might be able to help. I'm having to fill in my ESA50 form having been in the WRAG due to mental health issues for a while. The form, which is different than the one I filled in initially, says that I have to provide a telephone number for the assessment team to contact regarding a WCA appointment. This is not something that is at all convenient, do you know if I can request an alternative? I find dealing with phone calls like this really difficult and I don't live alone so there are discretion issues (I don't expect the DWP to be remotely discreet either).

Thanks in advance.

Every form DWP send claimants requires a phone number, They need this encase of emergencies like having to change appointments or to give decisions etc.


Are you afraid by DWP will try use the fact you can use a telephone against you or something? They won't. If you have mental health issues then you shouldn't have a problem with the WCA.

tomtontom

If you can't use the phone, write that and explain why.

What alternative are you looking for? If they can't contact you by phone they'll send you an appt by letter.

strangeotron

tomtontom wrote: »

If you can't use the phone, write that and explain why.

What alternative are you looking for? If they can't contact you by phone they'll send you an appt by letter.

They can write to me, that's fine.

strangeotron

paragon909 wrote: »

Every form DWP send claimants requires a phone number, They need this encase of emergencies like having to change appointments or to give decisions etc.


Are you afraid by DWP will try use the fact you can use a telephone against you or something? They won't. If you have mental health issues then you shouldn't have a problem with the WCA.

They will because that's how the WCA operates, but that's not the reason.

There is no emergency issue here; no one has an emergency WCA.

They can write to me, that's perfectly fine. I don't see why I should be obliged to give them a phone number. Where in the legislation does it require this?

ab1982

I'd hate to work at the DWP and deal with people being awkward all day.

Diary

You are not obliged to give them a phone number. Although I claim income support and Pip and not ESA I have never given a phone number and leave the part blank on the forms.

I don't have mental health issues but for me personally the pros of not giving a number far outweigh the few cons.

There is no legislation that requires a phone number.

Poppie68

strangeotron wrote: »

They will because that's how the WCA operates, but that's not the reason.

There is no emergency issue here; no one has an emergency WCA.

They can write to me, that's perfectly fine. I don't see why I should be obliged to give them a phone number. Where in the legislation does it require this?

Edit....Tom beat me to it...
Having claimants number on record benefits the claimants nobody else...One reason being for appointment cancellations, I'm sure you will have a moan and be straight on the phone to them if you turned up to an WCA that had to be cancelled and they hadn't been able to contact you.

strangeotron

ab1982 wrote: »

I'd hate to work at the DWP and deal with people being awkward all day.

How am I being awkward?

strangeotron

Poppie68 wrote: »

Edit....Tom beat me to it...
Having claimants number on record benefits the claimants nobody else...One reason being for appointment cancellations, I'm sure you will have a moan and be straight on the phone to them if you turned up to an WCA that had to be cancelled and they hadn't been able to contact you.

How does that have anything to do with what I asked?

strangeotron

Diary wrote: »

You are not obliged to give them a phone number. Although I claim income support and Pip and not ESA I have never given a phone number and leave the part blank on the forms.

I don't have mental health issues but for me personally the pros of not giving a number far outweigh the few cons.

There is no legislation that requires a phone number.

that's great, but the key part is that you don't have the same issues.