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ESA50 form lost or late?
- whisper
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7 years 4 months ago #175889 by whisper
Replied by whisper on topic ESA50 form lost or late?
Partner phoned RM this morning.
It last shows as out for delivery yesterday on their system. She asked if it was a business I was sending to and when he said DWP she explained that because they get thousands of letters a day, they have a big bin they fill then drop off en masse so it can take a while for the item to show as delivered on the system.
Almost seems pointless to have the 'trace' part of your postal service if their system means you can't trace it. I had a horrific panic attack last night and wish I hadn't mithered to Get the status checked. Another reason to hate the internet for me!
We have to take RMs word for it that it got there and hope it's not piled up unopened in a post room at the DWP.
It last shows as out for delivery yesterday on their system. She asked if it was a business I was sending to and when he said DWP she explained that because they get thousands of letters a day, they have a big bin they fill then drop off en masse so it can take a while for the item to show as delivered on the system.
Almost seems pointless to have the 'trace' part of your postal service if their system means you can't trace it. I had a horrific panic attack last night and wish I hadn't mithered to Get the status checked. Another reason to hate the internet for me!
We have to take RMs word for it that it got there and hope it's not piled up unopened in a post room at the DWP.
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7 years 4 months ago #175918 by Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by Gordon on topic ESA50 form lost or late?
Whisper
I would phone the DWP on Friday to confirm they have the form.
Gordon
I would phone the DWP on Friday to confirm they have the form.
Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
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7 years 4 months ago #176071 by Alison
Replied by Alison on topic ESA50 form lost or late?
Kate - I have just done the same as you. Hoofed it to the post office 7.30am this morning, to get it Special Delivery Guarantee by 9am tomorrow, my deadline date.
I paid £23 for the privilege! It would only have cost £7 to apparently get it there for 1pm - but I just wanted it to arrive as soon as . . . .Interesting to hear that if it is late RM will refund me!! And relieved to hear you were not sanctioned.
I paid £23 for the privilege! It would only have cost £7 to apparently get it there for 1pm - but I just wanted it to arrive as soon as . . . .Interesting to hear that if it is late RM will refund me!! And relieved to hear you were not sanctioned.
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7 years 4 months ago #176156 by whisper
Replied by whisper on topic ESA50 form lost or late?
Well it's still showing as being at North West Midlands Mail Centre. Partner has rung Royal Mail and been fobbed off that it's probably not showing as delivered... called again and told they will raise it with senior managers at the Mail Centre to find out where it is... called again and been told it will probably be there tomorrow, it's Christmas after all and DWP will understand if he calls them.
We are just hitting our head against a brick wall.
DWP were equally as vague and uncaring when called. The first time, the woman looked my records up, said no they didn't have it and she would put a note on to say it had been sent next day post. Didn't even ask for tracking info. The second time my partner called intending to supply the tracking number so they could see for themselves but the woman said she couldn't access records and they give a few days grace on these forms.
No one seems to care. Christmas is looming and as far as I can tell, our benefits will be stopped if they don't get this form which I DID send them.
Advice please, what on earth am I supposed to do?
No printer, my copy is a series of photos and I would need to write it all out again on a new form if I could persuade them to send me one and not stop our benefits meantime. We have two young children who will suffer greatly over Christmas the way things stand.
We are just hitting our head against a brick wall.
DWP were equally as vague and uncaring when called. The first time, the woman looked my records up, said no they didn't have it and she would put a note on to say it had been sent next day post. Didn't even ask for tracking info. The second time my partner called intending to supply the tracking number so they could see for themselves but the woman said she couldn't access records and they give a few days grace on these forms.
No one seems to care. Christmas is looming and as far as I can tell, our benefits will be stopped if they don't get this form which I DID send them.
Advice please, what on earth am I supposed to do?
No printer, my copy is a series of photos and I would need to write it all out again on a new form if I could persuade them to send me one and not stop our benefits meantime. We have two young children who will suffer greatly over Christmas the way things stand.
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7 years 4 months ago #176185 by Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by Gordon on topic ESA50 form lost or late?
Whisper
Parking any actions that you may take with the Royal Mail over the failure to deliver the form.
Assuming that the form is not found in a reasonable time.
The DWP have two options;
They can offer a new form to complete and a new return date. I think that this option is unlikely as you have no proof of delivery, it might be different if you could show delivery and they then could not find the form. However, I could be wrong and second to finding the form this would be your best option.
The second option is that they take the view that your form was not returned, this will normally lead to your claim being closed. However, there is a narrow window where you could provide a replacement form and the DWP should revise any Decision to close your claim and allow it to continue.
The big problems is that it is dependant on your being able to provide a replacement and I note that you have no printing facilities, so the question is can you get access to a printer; friend or family, even a commercial print service at a local stationers or possibly at the Post Office? You have two options; print the photos that you took providing you have a copy of each page, they don't have to be in colour, black and white should be OK and would definitely be cheaper. Or you can fill in the electronic version of the ESA50. See
Using The PDF Version Of The ESA50 Questionnaire
The critical thing is that you must do it as quickly as possible, I would recommend that you have something to send on Monday.
Gordon
Parking any actions that you may take with the Royal Mail over the failure to deliver the form.
Assuming that the form is not found in a reasonable time.
The DWP have two options;
They can offer a new form to complete and a new return date. I think that this option is unlikely as you have no proof of delivery, it might be different if you could show delivery and they then could not find the form. However, I could be wrong and second to finding the form this would be your best option.
The second option is that they take the view that your form was not returned, this will normally lead to your claim being closed. However, there is a narrow window where you could provide a replacement form and the DWP should revise any Decision to close your claim and allow it to continue.
The big problems is that it is dependant on your being able to provide a replacement and I note that you have no printing facilities, so the question is can you get access to a printer; friend or family, even a commercial print service at a local stationers or possibly at the Post Office? You have two options; print the photos that you took providing you have a copy of each page, they don't have to be in colour, black and white should be OK and would definitely be cheaper. Or you can fill in the electronic version of the ESA50. See
Using The PDF Version Of The ESA50 Questionnaire
The critical thing is that you must do it as quickly as possible, I would recommend that you have something to send on Monday.
Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
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7 years 4 months ago #176214 by Alison
Replied by Alison on topic ESA50 form lost or late?
Hi Whisper
Public libraries also have printing facilities.
I am confused - why would you expect the ESA50 form to be sent to Bootle? My understanding is that they all have to go to the Wolverhampton address, and the DWP sorts it out from there.
I've just had a look at my tracking info - if it is any help, After it was tracked to North West Midlands (as yours was) it was then shown 'on delivery' and then 'delivered' at 6am this morning. I called ESA/DWP folk to say it is showing delivered on Royal Mail. However, it isn't yet showing on the DWP system. The ESA guy said it can take days to show up.
Public libraries also have printing facilities.
I am confused - why would you expect the ESA50 form to be sent to Bootle? My understanding is that they all have to go to the Wolverhampton address, and the DWP sorts it out from there.
I've just had a look at my tracking info - if it is any help, After it was tracked to North West Midlands (as yours was) it was then shown 'on delivery' and then 'delivered' at 6am this morning. I called ESA/DWP folk to say it is showing delivered on Royal Mail. However, it isn't yet showing on the DWP system. The ESA guy said it can take days to show up.
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