Advice please. Contribution year review. NIC.

Hi guys. Here's a challenge for you. Try to keep brief. Claim made 2018 took 15 mths for them to process due to their logistics issues. Outcome full support group award backdated to claim date but no monetary award due to lack of 2015-16 paid contributions. Had 52 week credits.
Fast forward to now. Award still live have asked them to at least make a monetary award based on eligible class 2 voluntary self employed paid for 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 (although not actually working due to illhealth) . Cant get a response off them as to why they can't pay from Feb 2020 in view. Paid via self assessments Jan 30th . The only reply I get is the standard this was assssed based on 2015-3016. No explaination as to why they can't at least award from the later date which is contribution complicit.
Ant find ANYTHING on this anywhere which makes me wonder if it's failure to engate is just an obstructive tactic.
Any really clever people that can shed a legistlative light please? Many Thanks.

Hi Gordon thank you so much for your reply!
Ok this makes sense or at least explain the lack of engagement.
'Once your ESA claim has been accepted the law does not require the DWP to reassess your Contributions, which is why they haven't.'

In an ideal world they would have relayed this but ....
Would you happen to know if I would need to notify them to stop existing award and then proceed to make a new claim or would I 'simply' make new claim . Thinking of asking them tl backdate to Feb due to their lack of engagement but also having been very very poorly due to stage 4 advanced C.
Thanks again. It feel fab to have had assistance at last

Gordon, thank you so much for your reply. So refreshing to have some kind of response for sure.
So what you say about not required by law therefore they dont makes comlete sense. How hard would it have been for them to explain this rather than churn out their recycled computer said no number time and again.
Would I be required to notify to stop current claim or would I 'simply' fill out a new claim form as you say? The very thought of going through the same lengthy process again fills me with absolute dread I attest.
Thinking of asking for a backdate to Feb in view of lack of clear communication from them butcalso based on the factcthat ive been very very poorly since February and still am having been diagnosed and undergone/going treatment for stage 4 advanced C.
Thanks again for your reply it is so refreshing to not merely talking to myself on this.
Btw. I replied earlier. Message popped up confirming it had been posted but on checking it was nowhere to be seen.
Apologies if I e repeated myself.

Once again thank you Gordon. I didn't fully read the popup regararding my reply it appears. All makes sent re moderating of course.
Thanks for the advise and yes those conditions do apply regrettably. I had no idea there was such a fast-track facility for, as many other I guess, have been fortunate enough to be able to skim past that section to date.
Shall get to it asap now as it's been a long time with no income . Marginally over the income based due to partener's hard earned very small pension lump sum. Which has been dwindling of course.
Can't tell you how much your input is appreciated.
Kind regards.
F.