IB to ESA migration

[**Margaret**]

:Hi reallymadwoman:

 

Is the form you've received a (very overdue) BF223? Nowadays they're usually sent out by Shatos on behalf of Work n Pensions, who've probably not read your letter yet.

 

If I've sussed correctly, a copy of your letter (with proof of delivery if you've got it) attached to the form shows clean hands n all that.

 

Good luck, Margaret.

 

Probably doesn't happen very often, but when I was in your situation (chaperone issue) it took Jobcentreplus nine months to collate my original letter of explanation with the BF223!

Edited January 25, 2013 by **Margaret**

[Invalidation]

They don;t work for everyone but as a very powerful anti oxidant if nothing else they keep your skin looking younger than your years. lol.

 

If I looked any younger I'd have the school inspector round !! :smile::smile::smile:

[reallymadwoman]

Form returned with copies of letter to DWP and emails between me, MP, DWP and ATOS hopefully proving all the problems previously. Unfortunately I can't get to the post office and there was no one else available to do it for me so had to be sent without proof of posting.

[**Margaret**]

:Hiya reallymadwoman:

Nowt useful left to say, cept fingers crossed n .

Margaret.

[reallymadwoman]

I am seriously so sick of this. If it wasn't all so spread out I would have had to give up. As it is they at least give me a few weeks between each stage to recover a bit.

 

Then of course if it ever gets sorted no doubt I'll only get 3 months peace before it starts all over again.

[**Margaret**]

:Seriously :

 

You n me both. There's never any respite!

 

Once upon a time, now long forgotten, our self-help group met for lunch n afternoons out. Twice a month we'd get tips from a benefits advisor or a specialist nurse or a psychologist. All we do now is lurch from ESA50s to disability living claim packs, with a sprinkling of tribunal subs for variety! Afternoons out are chaperoning someone's (hopefully recorded) messical!

 

Margaret's advice for anyone who's tempted to try and complete a GL24 during a pub lunch? Don't! Unless it's due back the following day!

 

You got any groups in your area that you could join for support n letting off steam?

 

Take care, sincerely, Margaret.

Edited January 29, 2013 by **Margaret**

[reallymadwoman]

I have just looked back to the beginning of this thread and I missed the first anniversary of my relationship with ATOS on Wednesday of last week.

 

So, to summarise what has been achieved in the last year.

 

 

 

(Large blank space)

 

Still waiting to hear from the DWP whether it's back to the beginning or appeal.

[Guest]

a whole year...hope it goes your way.

[reallymadwoman]

a whole year...hope it goes your way.

 

After a year I have given up hoping for anything. I just wait and see what comes through the door next and react accordingly otherwise I'd have been carted off to the local asylum by now.

[**Margaret**]

:reallymadwoman:

 

I'd say it's more to do with what Shatos can't get to your front door.

 

Appointment letter

 

Audio recorder :?:

 

Doctor :?:

 

Take care, have a cheery , Margaret.

[reallymadwoman]

[reallymadwoman]

Time for another rant.

 

DWP sent me a form to complete which had to be returned within 7 days. Just to make it more difficult, they sent it 2nd class and gave me a 2nd class envelope to return it. I got it back in the post the same day after some frantic searching and scanning of supporting documents, all done the day after I was discharged from hospital. Since it was obviously so urgent I was expecting a fairly rapid response.

 

5 weeks later and I'm still waiting. How come us benefit scroungers get penalised for not returning stuff before they ask but DWP can take just as long as they like to make decisions which can seriously affect people's lives? I know they're overworked and underpaid and I know the individual employees are not the problem, but if they're not going to even look at my file for a couple of months, why the urgency in getting their forms back? Why not have given me a month to return it?

 

I have mostly stopped commenting on other people's ESA threads since despite my best efforts every time I read of someone whose assessment has actually happened or, miracle of miracles, has actually got a sensible decision, I am starting to ask 'why them and not me?' and that is the start of the road to depression etc.

 

Before all this started I was just hoping they'd take as long as possible to reassess me as I didn't then expect to be awarded ESA. I should have been very careful what I wished for.

[worried33]

I am shocked you are still waiting, I was getting calls or letters every single week about appointments. The hassle only stopped after I had my assessment at which point I had 3 months peace until they made their decision which thankfully wasnt a fit for work. I wonder if I will get my next ESA50 before you and starryeyes have an assessment.

[Nystagmite]

5 weeks later and I'm still waiting. How come us benefit scroungers get penalised for not returning stuff before they ask but DWP can take just as long as they like to make decisions which can seriously affect people's lives?

 

This is something that annoys me. Why do I have to send my stuff back within a certain time and they can take as long as they wish? Some of us do have other things to do than fill in forms and wait for an answer. It took them about 3 months to make my decision.

[worried33]

This is something that annoys me. Why do I have to send my stuff back within a certain time and they can take as long as they wish? Some of us do have other things to do than fill in forms and wait for an answer. It took them about 3 months to make my decision.

 

Not just that but if there is a dispute eg. missing letter, the onus is on the claimant for proof they not fibbing.

[reallymadwoman]

Suggestions please.

 

This whole saga has now dragged on for 14 months. It's over 3 months since I returned my 'failed to attend' form and I've still heard nothing. Even my MP has given up responding to me, I suspect because he can do no more to hurry DWP along.

 

Even when I do get a decision, it won't be the end as either I'll be appealing the 'failed to attend' decision or we'll be back to square one with the ATOS assessment, so based on past performance this thread will be still going in another 12 months.

 

What to do? Would a complaint to DWP achieve anything?

[Guest]

complaints to the local dwp office did nothing for me but raise my blood pressure, complaints to ministers@dwp did nothing at first as all they did was refer it to the manager of the local office where I had already complained...all I got was the same old **** back, that situation was me asking for a reconsideration of my claim, it never happened and off it went to Tribunal and I won. When the dwp then dragged their heels with the backpay, I made sure I rang and made a note of names, dates and times and what was said, after 6 weeks I emailed ministers@dwp and then they did help, infact I got things very swiftly sorted out. Apology even. But that was just after the new Govt got in, I guess they were happy to look good clearing up the mess they deemed as the previous Govt's doing. The minsters@dwp are the top of the tree ...and highest you can go I think.

If I were you and you haven't already then I would be thinking its worth an email to ministers@dwp, a bit of a kick***.

It would depend what they were paying me now, if on reduced money then nothing to lose, if money has stayed the same I would let it ride, hard as it is hanging over your head.

[reallymadwoman]

Unfortunately even though I am still being paid my full IB (but for how much longer, and will I get any warning if they stop it?) the stress is seriously affecting my health now so I need a resolution fairly soon. I absolutely cannot cope with another 12 months of waiting around for ATOS to get their act together and/or months and months of endless appeals, and nor can my poor family who are so far bearing the brunt of this.

 

The stupid thing is that if they'd assessed me fairly promptly last year I'd have been put in WRAG at best and probably wouldn't have won an appeal to get in to the support group. I now meet at least 3 support group descriptors, so in addition to having paid my IB for an extra year, I'm likely to cost them far more in the long run.

[Guest]

Well then I would email ministers@dwp ... outlining all the issues and see if it helps. Hoping you get it sorted soon.

[RaeUK]

A full and detailed formal complaint sent to the top of the JCP won't hurt. As far as I know the CEO is Darra Singh. (I've got a letter on file from him about a complaint I made a few years ago. I can probably dig out the address etc if you need it).

[**Margaret**]

:Hi reallymadwoman:

 

Praps I under guesstimated the capabilities of Jobcentreplus to collate letters with BF223s? Was sorta thinking that for most miscreants it doesn't take months? Or possibly they're waiting for the appointments printout from Tatos? If they do disallow you're unlikely to get any warning. First thing I knew was when the credit transfer didn't go through, nine months after the event!

 

Suggestions:?: Well, 'fraid there's only two choices. Either no news is good news, always my preferred option so long as they're paying me but we're not all the same, or find out what's happening. From what you've written in the past I'd be inclined to try one call (with your husband's help) to your benefit delivery centre. From that you'll maybe have more of an idea as to the worth of further complaint in terms of your health and the stress on your family.

 

Doubt Tatos'll ever get their act together. Between us, Starryeyes n I've had either a farcical or a tribunal on the go, without a break, since September 10. (Still some way behind :RaeUK: ) And it's cost a fortune, to us personally and the taxpayer!

 

Should this chapter of your saga end with good cause, Tatos backlogs may avert another attempt at a face to face, particularly if you copped for a personal capability interview. Cos of personnel problems they've had to relax the 'we're seeing almost everyone'.

 

Hugs, Margaret. :hug:

Edited April 21, 2013 by **Margaret**

[reallymadwoman]

Thanks all. We're discussing the next step this evening.

[reallymadwoman]

I started compiling my complaint this morning and the first thing I came across was the letter I wrote to DWP before Christmas in an attempt to 'get in first' with my version of events. It was clearly headed 'complaint'. DWP haven't replied.

 

Perfect excuse to go straight to the top I should think.

[Guest]

Absolutely....to the top.

[worried33]

Suggestions please.

 

This whole saga has now dragged on for 14 months. It's over 3 months since I returned my 'failed to attend' form and I've still heard nothing. Even my MP has given up responding to me, I suspect because he can do no more to hurry DWP along.

 

Even when I do get a decision, it won't be the end as either I'll be appealing the 'failed to attend' decision or we'll be back to square one with the ATOS assessment, so based on past performance this thread will be still going in another 12 months.

 

What to do? Would a complaint to DWP achieve anything?

 

When I complainted to the ICE http://www.ind-case-exam.org.uk/en/contact/index.asp They just passed my case onto the DWP. However the DWP manager dealing with it (who I could contact directly at any time) did manage to resolve some issues for me that I think without her help would have been a major headache eg. some may remember is that time I was been asked for sicknotes even tho I was on long term IB, and this manager resolved it with a phonecall to another department.