Why does it take the job centre ages to answer

[Deleted User]

Over-worked under-staffed basically, always best to try as soon as they open in a morning, same goes for any DWP calls

[Deleted User]

I’ve waited close to 90 minutes on occasion.

I think it’s 20 working days for a response so he still has time remaining.

Robbie64

MarkN88 wrote: »

I’ve waited close to 90 minutes on occasion.

I think it’s 20 working days for a response so he still has time remaining.

The recorded message at the start of the call mentions 20 working days and also states that if it is still within 20 working days then they (the DWP) won't be able to answer the query.


Average wait times around where I live seem to be running at two and a half to three weeks from submitting the application (online) to the offer letter arriving.

Fire_Fox

DWP seems to be trying to move everyone over to mainly online contact. It is more time efficient than telephone. My ex is on Universal Credit and messages about budgeting loans through his online account. Even with dyslexia it is faster than the telephone. Depending where you live it can be faster to go into the Job Centre in person.

HTH.

calcotti

Fire_Fox wrote: »

DWP seems to be trying to move everyone over to mainly online contact. It is more time efficient than telephone. My ex is on Universal Credit and messages about budgeting loans through his online account. Even with dyslexia it is faster than the telephone. Depending where you live it can be faster to go into the Job Centre in person.
HTH.

The problem with this is that DWP staff do not have enough time to read all the messages posted in UC journals in a timely manner so, even on ‘digital by default’ UC, if something is urgent it is better to phone up.

Davy_Jones_II

It’s good that you are helping him out on the call but could you not also help him out with budgeting, to avoid the need for the loan, or with finding work?

What’s gone wrong that he needs to borrow money?

If something’s broken then freecycle could be a better route?

tomtom256

calcotti wrote: »

The problem with this is that DWP staff do not have enough time to read all the messages posted in UC journals in a timely manner so, even on ‘digital by default’ UC, if something is urgent it is better to phone up.

This is only true for those UC customers who do not have a work coach or at least it is in my regions jobcentres.

If they have a work coach we have to respond with 48 business hours as it's one of the customer service policies they have introduced.

My jobcentre also checks for journal messages for those withouth work coaches, however this isn't a national thing, just a local agreement.

The way the call centres now handle calls is good, if you ring from the number registered on your UC account it will automatically route you to your case management team and is usually answered within 20 - 30 minutes if not quicker.

The national call centres are under staffed with poorly trained staff and is run by Serco, which is why it takes a long time to get answered!

comeandgo

It was a Friday afternoon. Bet they'd all gone home.

calcotti

tomtom256 wrote: »

This is only true for those UC customers who do not have a work coach or at least it is in my regions jobcentres.

If they have a work coach we have to respond with 48 business hours as it's one of the customer service policies they have introduced.!

Good point. Many of the cases I am aware of are claimants with LCWRA who therefore do not have a work coach. It is my understanding that messages on their journals have to be read by their case manager and that reading journal messages is lower on their priority list.

Are messages posted in different parts of the journal processed and directed differently?

heatherw_01

I tried to call three times over three days before and waited over 2 hours a time before giving up. Never got through to a human.