thanks a ****ing bunch.

Title should be SIX MONTHS... not 6 weeks, this has been going on since september.

Cutting straight to chase, wrote lovely intro before but all lost.. Right: me and my girlfriend were claiming joint I.S. until september last year, we then split up and my GF went back onto single person I.S. and I claimed ESA as a single person, this only lasted 3 weeks and we got back together. I.S. said we couldn;t claim I.S. as a couple because it was being phased out so we'd have to both go on ESA. damn I'm fed up.. been an hour writing this before it was lost, this is the condensed version. ---- Anyhow, we couldnt go back to I.S. This was 6 months ago, I have done the ESA medical and passed for the support group. I havent been paid anything since september and we have been "surviving" on my gf's single rate I.S. I have submitted a change of circumstances form, 2 weeks ago, they have it now. They still won't accept anything, I'm nearly insane, brainwashed by the Ode To Joy. Nothing is working, I cannot cope. Contemplating threatening to jump off the town hall if this isn't sorted. For some reason being intelligent makes them think I am ripping the system off, If only I were. They owe 20 weeks ESA, which even when my GF's I.S. is taken off the 20 weeks ESA couple rate "pro-rata"... it's still a hell of a lot of money, money which we need to secure new accomodation when our damp, rotting, draughty.......... house is demolished in about a month. If this isn't sorted out I will probably end up on the streets, or turn to crime, or both. Please help, I'm at a loss - they can't do this to people - I just want to be considered part of a couple claiming ESA, why can't they figure this out, I could have figured out what all the filled in forms and phonecalls meant even in the worst psychosis imanginable.. , I've passed the medical, filled in the forms, made the calls and waited the time - I'm toeing the line, done everything they asked and nothing has been done. Just had many weeks as follows Monday: phone ESA: Why havent you paid me? --> Dunno, ask Benefits agency.. Benefits agency: Dunno ask ESA. ESA: Dunno... have you tried benefits agency? ... ... Tuesday: ESA: They wont tell me why they wont pay me!!!... Oh, your sicknote ran out.. Make appointment at doctors: Friday: sent sicknote. Wednesday: ESA: we got the sicknote, wait till friday Friday: They still wont pay, we dont know why. Monday: phone DSS.... " you need to Fill in a change of circumstances form" waited......... Thursday, got the form in post --> posted form. monday..."not got the form yet" Thursday "got the form" Monday "waiting for decision" Tuesday "call back on friday" Friday "call back on monday" Monday "call back on friday" Friday "call back on monday"... NO!, I'm slowly going insane sort it out.. ... "we'll phone you in 3 hours" 3 hours later "you need to fill in a form" then I came on here. Any help truly appreciated. (oh and they won't pay a crisis loan because I bought phone credit and dogfood.. not essentials so I've "spent my money recklessly" and therefore are "not deserving" of a loan of money that they owe to me anyway.... )

The letter is in the post, It's pretty good, If it was addressed to you you would be "Passing" Bricks:-x If it doesn't work I'm off to county court, but it should work, they haven't the slightest case to put across, they did not give all the facts - they broke the DPA, they withheld important information... they did plenty enough to get into trouble... fingers crossed they just return the money, and even if they do I'm still reporting them to the Information commissioner people, they're breaking the law and ripping people off, someone should put a stop to it and I'm stubborn and determined enough to do it:mad:

I think they know they would lose, so I expect with a little luck they will just pay out. Thanks for all the advice, Will tell you the outcome, letter is going in post sometime today.

Ok, thanks people, I've drawn up my final letter, mentioning Data protection, trading standards... 14 days to pay or to small claims court we go. They have no signed paperwork whatsoever, so cannot produce any documents in court, the credit check was never authorised in writing, in person or by phone so the DPA has certainly been breeched. Also the information regarding the holding fee and credit checks was not given to my GF, and so that would be "witholding information" which is lying, which in the case of them ending up with the fee does constitute a case of obtaining money by deception... they should just pay the money back, or goto court and have fun with no paperwork:eek: and a possible criminal charge... moving out of county court and on to the magistrates if they don't play their cards right... which looking at their skill so far they can't do to save their gentleman's vegetables. Thanks to all contributors!

I'm going to get my gf to go and sort it out... I suppose she just highlights the problems, shows what is wrong then if they don't pay it's off to trading standards for tea and crumpets? What should she say? take note of the word doc attached and the receipt... Are there any other agencies that might be interested in this agencies conduct?

So where do you think I stand, should I confront the place personally? Should I go down the money by deception route? Would sending the letter do any harm? should I try something else first?

I've edited the letter making it in her name. Also changed receipt picture to better quality Thanks so far for the replies:)

Yeah, I was thinking that. They did deceive her by not telling her that the application could fail upon checking her credit rating... but I'm not running down to the station just yet, I hope to just put my case across in the best way possible and get my money back without involving anyone else... I will try the police Idea but I doubt they'll take it seriously...

It is commonplace, but not all agencies will carry out a credit check and the point I'm trying to make is that had my Girlfriend been told that a credit check was part of the acceptance procedure she would have stopped right there and then since she has a bad credit history. shouldn't the agency have informed her of their credit checking policy, since they could make a fortune from people with poor credit histories by repeating this "pay fee, fail check, your'e screwed" procedure again and again.

I've edited the letter making it in her name. Thanks so far for the replies:) emma letter.doc