I’m being mucked around by DWP

Hello everyone, hope you’re all as well as possible in these difficult times.

Two & a half weeks ago I received a letter from DWP only giving me 2 days notice that I would be contacted by phone for a health assessment (I am in ESA support group - I suffer with mental health issues). I spent those 2 days feeling very stressed out, only for the phone call not to materialise.

Last week I received another letter from DWP, with no apology for not phoning me but informing me that I would be phoned for the assessment between a specific time window today. Again I have spent the last few days feeling stressed - not helped by the fact I do not like speaking on the phone - a fact I mention each time I have filled out an ESA50.

Guess what? Yes the phone call did not come - so I am now angry & stressed knowing that I will have to go through this farce again.

I’m just wondering has this happened to anybody else recently? Also can anybody suggest the best way for me to deal with the phone call when it does eventually arrive, bearing in mind my near-phobia of speaking on the phone?

Thanks

Hi

I was messed around a bit but not by the look of it as much as you. I was on and off the toilet during the hour before my phone call. Luckily they were 10 minutes late phoning else I would have spent the phone call sitting on the toilet!!

My assessment wasn’t too bad. I never had my ESA50 in front of me which was a mistake because the first thing she asked me was tell me about the conditions you suffer from. It’s on the ESA50 so she must know already what they are. Why ask!!!

I pretty much filled out answers to every question. Most of those questions were not covered at all. She seemed to focus on a couple of narrow topics. So I don’t know if they have already studied the whole ESA50 and have decided already what to focus on.

It’s a bit like going to the dentist. If like me you can’t stand the injections, it only lasts a few minutes in the chair and before long you are out of the building and it’s all done. Look at the phone call like that. I decided to have a Chinese this Friday as my mum is going to have dinner with an aunt. So I just thought about that Chinese before long the call was over. About 36 minutes mine was. They will be typing things up so you won’t be talking all the time. Just answer the questions and add anything else you want if you think it helps your case.

It’s not that bad in fact the worse bit is after in having to wait for the decision.

Good luck with it.

Hi There

I too feel messed around too as mine should have been last week, The ESA people rang bang on time just to say the assessor was running late and cancelled it until this afternoon.
I was a complete mess with major anxiety crying all day

I too struggle with mental health and haven't eaten or slept waiting for this phone assessment so if they cancel it Again this afternoon i don't think i can cope,

But It is Awful what they have done to you xx

Seems to me that mucking around and up is the major (only?) function of that lovely organisation!

Yeah, anyway, something similar has been happening to me for a while, they didn't even write the correct benefit (ESA) on the first form (it said UC!) then just left it off entirely, so I thought it was about PIP (blind bastard me). If you can, call the local number on the form (for me it was 01634 648880) because there was one guy there who is super nice and helpful, so hopefully he answers. You might be waiting a while, it's a ghost town. The other guy seems ok, but that's a better ratio than I've ever got with the DWP (generally) or a provider. I'm not sure if that number will apply to you, but you can give your NI number and find out. Your basic job should be to cancel the assessment if you can, rather than wait for it.

Because you can, with ESA, try to persuade them to put you through on paper - you'll have a lot more luck than trying to confront the ("corporate hq" / 0800) DWP, cos they don't have a clue or much time or empathy to spare. It's likely to go better with more evidence.

I wouldn't worry too much about the ESA assessment, they said to me that the DWP wanted a "clearing-up" call, or something and it would be brief, no more than 10-40 mins. I don't think they're doing "full" assessments atm? Can't swear to that. There is an option for them to send it back to the DWP with a yes/no need, which I found after saying that my conditions won't change, are all medical and I've always been put through on paper before. No fresh evidence cos covid.

I don't know if those apply to you, but it sounds like does, and it's worth saying. Mention the stress as well. The DWP (in general / 0800) don't give af (mostly) but calling the local number will put you through to some actual humans, who aren't there to get through calls ASAP. Sorry if calling (outbound) causes stress, but I found it a lot less stressful than waiting and then getting endlessly cancelled / rearranged?

I phoned the number on the DWP letter & spoke to a helpful woman, who emailed the office I usually attend (as she couldn’t get through to them on the phone). A couple of hours later I was phoned by a member of staff in that office who has arranged for my assessment to take place tomorrow afternoon. Wish me luck