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  • Spoonie_Turtle
    Spoonie_Turtle Posts: 10,387 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Sixth Anniversary Name Dropper
    edited 15 February 2021 at 11:20PM
    Bratfink said:
    I'm still actually quite shocked that I didn't know about it.
    My child has been in receipt of DLA since they were tiny and then PIP when it changed over (always at the highest rates) 
    When they moved into their own home they got the ESA (income related) or whatever it might have been called then. They've been in their own property and moved house once into the now shared property since aged 19/20 and they turn 29 this June. 
    That's a long time yet no-one has ever made me aware that they are entitled to it. That just baffles me to be honest. 
    Hopefully I'll get to the bottom of this with the DWP before too long. 
    I can't understand why the assessment people didn't forward them my child's new address details either as they quite clearly told me they would and that I didn't have to do anything else.
    Do you think the DWP could say that they won't backdate the money for my child if they are saying that I didn't inform them of the change of address? I have full proof of their addresses and them living alone in the first property and as a single person in a shared tenancy house now.
    In fairness to the assessment providers, them simply relaying a change of address won't have automatically alerted DWP that they were living alone.  You can be pretty sure that if they did inform DWP of the change of address, that's all they did!  The SDP and your child's living situation is nothing to do with the assessment providers beyond solely informing that particular assessor of your child's circumstances in relation to the activities assessed by the relevant benefit.

    I don't know what the process is supposed to be, whether Decision Makers are supposed to automatically consider it if awarding ESA or whatever, but if they literally were only informed of a change of address (not living situation) that won't have meant anything.

    Not that I am ever one to defend the DWP or assessment providers.  I honestly don't know whether someone was supposed to consider it at some point dealing with your child's benefits and failed to do so.  I'm simply explaining why just a change of *address* won't have meant anything by itself.
  • Bratfink said:
    I'm still actually quite shocked that I didn't know about it.
    My child has been in receipt of DLA since they were tiny and then PIP when it changed over (always at the highest rates) 
    When they moved into their own home they got the ESA (income related) or whatever it might have been called then. They've been in their own property and moved house once into the now shared property since aged 19/20 and they turn 29 this June. 
    That's a long time yet no-one has ever made me aware that they are entitled to it. That just baffles me to be honest. 
    Hopefully I'll get to the bottom of this with the DWP before too long. 
    I can't understand why the assessment people didn't forward them my child's new address details either as they quite clearly told me they would and that I didn't have to do anything else.
    Do you think the DWP could say that they won't backdate the money for my child if they are saying that I didn't inform them of the change of address? I have full proof of their addresses and them living alone in the first property and as a single person in a shared tenancy house now.
    In fairness to the assessment providers, them simply relaying a change of address won't have automatically alerted DWP that they were living alone.  You can be pretty sure that if they did inform DWP of the change of address, that's all they did!  The SDP and your child's living situation is nothing to do with the assessment providers beyond solely informing that particular assessor of your child's circumstances in relation to the activities assessed by the relevant benefit.

    I don't know what the process is supposed to be, whether Decision Makers are supposed to automatically consider it if awarding ESA or whatever, but if they literally were only informed of a change of address (not living situation) that won't have meant anything.

    Not that I am ever one to defend the DWP or assessment providers.  I honestly don't know whether someone was supposed to consider it at some point dealing with your child's benefits and failed to do so.  I'm simply explaining why just a change of *address* won't have meant anything by itself.
    Hi
    & thank you for your input. I understand what you are saying.
    However, in saying that .... that a change of address won't have meant anything by itself then by the DWP saying they weren't aware of a change of address surely that in itself cannot be used as a reason for them but to backdate any money's owed. (They may not dispute it and just pay it, u won't know I guess until they write to me)
    Anyhow, my question was... Could they refuse to pay the backdated money based on them saying they were not aware of a change of address. 

    I guess I'll just see what they say. I don't suppose anyone really know only the decision makers.

    Thanks for your input though 🙂 
  • Just to add...

    Sorry, perhaps I didn't make it very clear.

    When we told the assessment people of the change of address, the change of living arrangements and circumstances were also noted as my child was being assessed based on now living alone with no dependants. 
  • poppy12345
    poppy12345 Posts: 18,887 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Bratfink said:

    I can't understand why the assessment people didn't forward them my child's new address details either as they quite clearly told me they would and that I didn't have to do anything else.
    As previously advised, your son/daughter's change of address would not have been the health assessment providers responsibility to tell DWP. If you are the appointee then this is your responsibility to report ALL changes.
    As also previously advised, SDP has very specific crtieria and it's not automatically awarded because of this so no, it probably wouldn't have been flagged, especially because you actually failed to report the change of address to DWP.
    No one here can tell you for absolute certain that he will be backdated to when he became entitled to it because we are not a decision maker. As we are talking about a long time then it make take longer for them to make the decision, In the meantime all you can do is wait.
  • poppy12345
    poppy12345 Posts: 18,887 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Bratfink said:
    Just to add...

    Sorry, perhaps I didn't make it very clear.

    When we told the assessment people of the change of address, the change of living arrangements and circumstances were also noted as my child was being assessed based on now living alone with no dependants. 

    Yes you made it very clear. The assessment people will have nothing at all to do with DWP.
  • Bratfink said:
    Just to add...

    Sorry, perhaps I didn't make it very clear.

    When we told the assessment people of the change of address, the change of living arrangements and circumstances were also noted as my child was being assessed based on now living alone with no dependants. 
    I understand that but beyond it informing their report, you'll have been lucky if they even did pass on the change of address to DWP (even if they said they would - honestly you can't rely on anything they say) and certainly nothing about the living situation.  As you now hopefully are fully aware, the assessment providers and the DWP are completely separate organisations.  The AP simply provide DWP with a specific service.
  • Bratfink
    Bratfink Posts: 18 Forumite
    Fourth Anniversary 10 Posts
    edited 16 February 2021 at 1:27AM
    Bratfink said:

    I can't understand why the assessment people didn't forward them my child's new address details either as they quite clearly told me they would and that I didn't have to do anything else.
    As previously advised, your son/daughter's change of address would not have been the health assessment providers responsibility to tell DWP. If you are the appointee then this is your responsibility to report ALL changes.
    As also previously advised, SDP has very specific crtieria and it's not automatically awarded because of this so no, it probably wouldn't have been flagged, especially because you actually failed to report the change of address to DWP.
    No one here can tell you for absolute certain that he will be backdated to when he became entitled to it because we are not a decision maker. As we are talking about a long time then it make take longer for them to make the decision, In the meantime all you can do is wait.
    Poppy I understand what you are saying and I get this...
    Not wanting to drag this on but if I'm being told by an "official" that by telling them I've informed them of my child's change of address & living arrangements I don't need to do anything else then of course I am going to be think that I have done as I've been requested. I mean.... the criteria is I inform them. I did. Or so I thought because I was being told I had and didn't need to do anything more. How else are we as regular people supposed to know that was wrong and I should have informed them another way?

    I came for advice but appear to almost be lectured or spoken down to.... 

    And if it hadn't registered with you already, I refer to my child as 'they or them' I never once said "him" or "son/daughter"  as you did when you responded to me and there's a reason for this. My child is gender neutral and does not identify as 'he' or 'her' etc and I can use this example to mirror exactly what we have just  been talking about .... You say to me  that I have already been previously advised... when all I was trying to say was how am I supposed to know any different when an "official" has told me that I don't need to do anything more.... Well, I had already advised you that my child is not 'him' by me using neutral pronouns I would have presumed you might know this because my direction of language is telling you so. However, as we've just noted.... Things aren't always that obvious to us sometimes because if we don't "know" about something then how on earth are we supposed to know other than to politely ask.
    Anyhow.... I don't appear to be getting much from here that I don't know already so I'll thank you again for your input and leave this thread here.
  • Bratfink said:
    Just to add...

    Sorry, perhaps I didn't make it very clear.

    When we told the assessment people of the change of address, the change of living arrangements and circumstances were also noted as my child was being assessed based on now living alone with no dependants. 
    I understand that but beyond it informing their report, you'll have been lucky if they even did pass on the change of address to DWP (even if they said they would - honestly you can't rely on anything they say) and certainly nothing about the living situation.  As you now hopefully are fully aware, the assessment providers and the DWP are completely separate organisations.  The AP simply provide DWP with a specific service.
    Hi 🙂

    Yes, after this I will never trust another thing they tell me and I'll call DWP myself, which I know now us the correct channels 🙂
    Eventually, hopefully I can sort this all out for my child and all will end well. 
    Thanks so much. 
  • Spoonie_Turtle
    Spoonie_Turtle Posts: 10,387 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Sixth Anniversary Name Dropper
    edited 16 February 2021 at 3:11AM
    Bratfink said:
    Bratfink said:
    Just to add...

    Sorry, perhaps I didn't make it very clear.

    When we told the assessment people of the change of address, the change of living arrangements and circumstances were also noted as my child was being assessed based on now living alone with no dependants. 
    I understand that but beyond it informing their report, you'll have been lucky if they even did pass on the change of address to DWP (even if they said they would - honestly you can't rely on anything they say) and certainly nothing about the living situation.  As you now hopefully are fully aware, the assessment providers and the DWP are completely separate organisations.  The AP simply provide DWP with a specific service.
    Hi 🙂

    Yes, after this I will never trust another thing they tell me and I'll call DWP myself, which I know now us the correct channels 🙂
    Eventually, hopefully I can sort this all out for my child and all will end well. 
    Thanks so much. 
    Indeed, we live and learn.  I hope it gets sorted smoothly and with the appropriate backdating - usually (as far as I know) they backdate it for as long as the claimant has been eligible, but I don't know either way whether them possibly not knowing changes of address affects that.  As your child's appointee presumably all of their benefit letters go to you at your address anyway, so in practice you'd hope it doesn't make too much difference.  Please let us know how it goes; it's especially useful for if others come across this thread searching for similar information or in similar circumstances.

    If anything, if the assessment provider didn't pass on the details like they said they would, they should have explained that you needed to contact DWP yourself.  You can kind of understand that maybe they just say things to appease people because it's quicker and easier for them, but it doesn't actually help the claimants!
  • poppy12345
    poppy12345 Posts: 18,887 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Bratfink said:
    Bratfink said:

    I can't understand why the assessment people didn't forward them my child's new address details either as they quite clearly told me they would and that I didn't have to do anything else.
    As previously advised, your son/daughter's change of address would not have been the health assessment providers responsibility to tell DWP. If you are the appointee then this is your responsibility to report ALL changes.
    As also previously advised, SDP has very specific crtieria and it's not automatically awarded because of this so no, it probably wouldn't have been flagged, especially because you actually failed to report the change of address to DWP.
    No one here can tell you for absolute certain that he will be backdated to when he became entitled to it because we are not a decision maker. As we are talking about a long time then it make take longer for them to make the decision, In the meantime all you can do is wait.
    Poppy I understand what you are saying and I get this...
    Not wanting to drag this on but if I'm being told by an "official" that by telling them I've informed them of my child's change of address & living arrangements I don't need to do anything else then of course I am going to be think that I have done as I've been requested. I mean.... the criteria is I inform them. I did. Or so I thought because I was being told I had and didn't need to do anything more. How else are we as regular people supposed to know that was wrong and I should have informed them another way?

    I came for advice but appear to almost be lectured or spoken down to.... 

    And if it hadn't registered with you already, I refer to my child as 'they or them' I never once said "him" or "son/daughter"  as you did when you responded to me and there's a reason for this. My child is gender neutral and does not identify as 'he' or 'her' etc and I can use this example to mirror exactly what we have just  been talking about .... You say to me  that I have already been previously advised... when all I was trying to say was how am I supposed to know any different when an "official" has told me that I don't need to do anything more.... Well, I had already advised you that my child is not 'him' by me using neutral pronouns I would have presumed you might know this because my direction of language is telling you so. However, as we've just noted.... Things aren't always that obvious to us sometimes because if we don't "know" about something then how on earth are we supposed to know other than to politely ask.
    Anyhow.... I don't appear to be getting much from here that I don't know already so I'll thank you again for your input and leave this thread here.

    The reason i didn't refer to them as your child is because IMO they are not a child. I would say son/daughter to anyone that was asking for advice regarding their children and i most certainly didn't mean anything by refering to them as either a son or daughter.
    As for not reporting the change of address to DWP it does state clearly on every letter you receive that all changes must be reported. Even if information is shared (which it isn't in this case with the HCP) then you should still report the changes.
    I wish you good luck with receiving the backdated money that's owed and there will hopefully be no problems with receiving what they are entitled to.
    I won't be making any further comments on the thread.
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