PIP 1003 - electronic versions & submission

Thanks.

appointment is actually at 8:10 - so they are factoring in 66 minutes travelling time (although 6 minutes is too much at that time of day).

Will speak with GP.

(reposting here, following the request in post 2)

I'm slightly confused and upset now, and I'm not claiming

Sent off the letter requesting a F2F assesment Wednesday 7th December3 copies - one to decision maker, one to DWP and one to the assessment centre. An email was also sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The email receipt was acknowledged.

The next day (*8th December) we had a call from a lady at Capita. I was able to understand her, and gathered that she was advising that whatever else, a COPY OF THE LETTER MUST GO TO THE DWP. I advised her that I I had done so, and she said it was IMPERATIVE that we call every single day on the (0808) number she gave us to ensure it had been received. She advised to call every day to check.

Called Friday - not received.

Monday (12th December) the same lady called again (and unmistakable, if not understandable accent). She pointed out the letter had not yet been received, and gave us a different address it needed to go to. I posted guaranteed next day delivery it within 15 minutes. To be delivered no later than 1pm Tuesday 13th December.

Yesterday, we had another call from Capita (different person. As best I could understand they were advising that because of DWP incompetence (a word I specifically used, and was specifically confirmed), it was incumbent on us to call every day to ensure the letter had been scanned. However, from that point, it could take another 10 working days (i.e. up to 30th December) to respond.

Not much comfort when the appointment we can't attend is 23rd

The person from Capita then said that in the absence of any response, we needed to be prepared to call on the 22nd (i.e. the day before the scheduled appointment) and cancel it. Their rationale was it would then be scheduled for mid January by which time our original letter requesting a F2F will have been processed (and hopefully agreed).

Can anyone confirm my understanding is correct ?

Just to add to the complications, my wife has *finally* got dates for her in-patient procedures for Intrathecal Baclofen. And will wager any money with anyone reading this that irrespective of F2F or summonsed to a centre, the rescheduled date will fall slap-bang in the middle of that procedure.

Of course if that happens we will have used up our single lifeline of cancelling an appointment.

I am fit and healthy, and this is shredding my nerves.

Gordon wrote: MSHusband

The Assessment Providers are required by law to give claimants 7 days written notice of appointment, so if you cancel on the 22nd then I would expect the next appointment to be next year although technically it could be the back end of the week between Christmas and New Year, although I think this very unlikely.

Be aware, once you have re-arranged once then you must attend the new appointment date, whenever and wherever it is booked for unless Capita opt for a home assessment.

Gordon

Thanks for the background ... I am very very concerned now. It seems there is a distinct possibility that the rescheduled appointment - whether F2F or home-based, could clash with the dates my wife has been given for an IN PATIENT procedure in hospital.

Presumably the inflexibility of the system is such that failure to attend/be available would then trigger a rejection of the claim - requiring an appeal (with associated delays and inconvenience of losing Motability car).

Has anyone else been in a similar situation ?

Gordon wrote: MSHusband

You can arrange the new appointment when you phone to cancel the current one but be aware they usually cannot book more than three week from the then current date.

The APs operate a strict policy of two strikes and the claimants file will be returned to the DWP, they have no authority to accept a claimants reasons for not attending, only the DWP can do this.

Gordon

Thank you again.

I am starting to see a glimmer of sense here now.

Is there any merit to the idea that we should contact Capita now we have dates to avoid (we will supply copies of the appointment letters) copying in the DWP ? And at the same time write directly to the DWP explaining the situation, with a note that if an appointment is scheduled for one of the dates which is unavailable, then the cancellation is inevitable (and could have been avoided by not choosing a date that the already knew was not possible) ???

I admit I am thinking defensively, and trying to establish a paper trail for review in the event of needing to appeal a rejection of application.

We now have the two postal addresses (thank goodness there are no postal strikes these days ) and can try and call the DWP too.