you couldn't malke this up

[muppetspotter]

Having worked for 20 years, in January I fell sick and have spent some time in hospital. I was told to register for ESA which I did, This worked fine until the contractor, Atos Origin lost my ESA50 form (a questionairre you complete which allows Atos to decide if you are fit enough to return to work despite what your consultant or GP might think). My condition is debilitating but with an operation, can be cured - I am on a waiting list.

 

I was contacted by the DWP in May and told that becauseI had not returned my ESA50 I was deemed fit to work and my benefits stopped. I called to appeal this and nothing happened until 4 weeks ago when I got a letter saying they had found my ESA50 and would reinstate payments forth with.

They paid me 2 weeks outsanding but since then I have received no payments from them. Last Monday I called them and they acknowledged that the situation was desperate and informed me they would do a same day payment. The only way you can speak to your case officer is to call the main call centre - describe the nature of your call to them and then they email your case officer at the local benefits centre (in my case, 'B') who has a 3 hour window to call you back. If they don'e call you back in 3 hours then you can call the call centre who will then update you as to any changes (the case officer may make a change and deem it unecessary to call you back) - the call centre will then email them and they have 1 hour to call you back as a priority. So, 'B' called me back and told me that they were unable to do this due to an IT problem. Instead they had posted a giro cheque. No cheque on Tues Wed or Thurs - I called the call centre eash day and was told it was in the post - nothing on Friday I called the call centre and elicited by accident that they had posted the cheque to the wrong address - one I have never lived there nor have I ever heard of it. This time 'B' called me back and told me I had to complete, over the phone, by calling the main call centre, a change of address request and complete a form explaining why the cheque had gone missing. I called the call centre who who told me that only 'B' could make any changes to my record and they would get them to call me back - within 3 hours. No call on Friday morning within the KPI of 3 hours by 2.00pm - I called back and was put on a KPI urgent call of 1 hour - 2pm there was nothing form them. I called again and was told they would call me by 1500 and should call the crisis loan people who could get me a cash payment for the weekend. I called the crisis loan people and they told me that because I was on a 1 hour call back from 'B' they would be unable to process a crisis loan for me. 1600 - nothing - I call the call centre again and am told that 'B' would call me back by 1700 (they are legally required to call back within KPI by the way) nothing at 1700 so I call the call centre at 1710 and am told that no one from 'B' will call me now until before 10am on Monday (today) - I ask about a crisis loan and am told that the crisis loans stop being issued at 1630 but they gave me the number of Lothian and Borders police who I could call and would let me take the kids to their canteen to feed them over the weekend.

 

This morning - no call from bathgate before 10.00am - I called the call centre 15 minutes ago and lost my temper - they told me that the 'B' centre had looked at my case updated the system and put a note on that there was no need to call me back - updating the system consisted of confirming that my correct address was the wrong one and closing the case as all paymets up to date. 'B' have now been told to call me back within 1 hour, that was 50 minutes ago.

 

There is a distict possibility that somone has stolen my national insurance numer if so, this needs immediate attention.

 

The system is broken, I have worked all my life, I only need this until the NHS can fix me and the delay is because of a waiting list. What the hell did I pay all those national insurance payments for? I have 2 small kids to feed, one of which has Coeliac's Disease and therefore cannot eat food with gluten (ie cheap food). She is 2 and has been eating potatoes for a week.

I swear, you couldn't make this up .....

[muppetspotter]

1245 - still no call. I have just called them and the call cdentre is escalating the case and they will call me back within an hour - I have told them that if I have not heard from them by 1315 I will have no choice but to assume the worst that my NI numbe4r has been stolen and to report the situation to the police.

[RaeUK]

That's quite a tale! I hope you get things sorted very very soon. Make sure you keep a note of every mishap and write a detailed formal complaint to the head of JCP and copy to your MP. From experience, this does have an affect. You will (probably) be offered a token payment of £50 as an apology. Not much, but everything helps ...

Rae

[bigsteve0000]

has their been any change in the situation

[homealonewithdad]

can you open up that first post with paragraphs ?

[watchinginvestigation2011]

can you open up that first post with paragraphs ?

 

Its perfectly readable!!!!!!