Reminder to send ESA50 back urgently.

A relative received ESA50 end April and had to wait for med evidence from doctors etc. Also has appointment for help filling it in next week. They will send it back recorded delivery a week before due back in June.

However, they phoned distressed today as received letter from Atos saying they have not received ESA50 back yet and they need it urgently and that it has to be back in 2 weeks by the date they were given on the original letter.

My relative knows this and with having to wait for appointment etc, as mentioned would be posting it a week before it is due back anyway. They have just over 2 weeks to send it back anyway
I thought sending it back a week before the due date of return would be sufficient, even I am confused.

Is this letter just standard reminder? Why do they send a letter out with the same due return date on, when they already have done so.
Why does it say we need the ESA50 back urgently, yet still say the return date is 2 weeks.
Should my relative be concerned, they are extremely distressed about it.

Gordon wrote:

mist

It is just another automated communication from the ATOS computer system. Your relative is planning to return the form within by the requested date, so they don't need to worry about it.

Gordon

Thank you Gordon. You are here again, giving best advice and putting everyone's mind at rest.

I think the problem was that it said they needed the form back urgently, despite 3 times mentioning the due return date in a couple of weeks.
It worries me that some people may panic and then try to complete the form without help and/or advice and return it, based on it saying "we need the form urgently".
I would of thought it better to send out reminders if they have not received by the due date, not a letter before. Whatever the reason, it had the desired affect on my relative who was extremely distressed thinking they had done something wrong, by not returning the form sooner.

Thank you again Gordon, enjoy your Bank Holiday weekend.xx

It's a legal requirement for the DWP to send a reminder letter with at least two weeks notice. If you are found not to have limited capacity for work due to missing the deadline and you did not receive the reminder letter it is potentially a ground for appeal.

Hi Mist

Sending a reminder after the due date would be too late as your benefit could be stopped by then.

But I think you are right. The first letter says 'We need some information'. The reminder says 'We need your medical questionnaire urgently'. I don't see the point in stating that (and possibly causing panic) when you have a due date and most people need the full six weeks to fill in the form and obtain medical evidence.

Claimants are legally entitled to take six weeks and Medical Services have no business telling claimants to hurry up!

Regards

Derek

Many thanks Derek.

I think many people will panic over this and just send back form regardless.

Are the CAB and Charities aware of this, not the fact they send a reminder, just that they put that they need the form back urgently. Surely they could just politely state that it just a reminder letter, rather than freaking people out.

I have trailed the net and found that some people have sent the form back as soon as they receive this letter due to not understanding and worried about the urgency. Cynical I may be, but this was not done with IB50's or to my knowledge DLA forms, so maybe a method in their madness, so they say.

Many thanks again Derek. xx