esa assessment phase

Hi gordon thanks for your reply.I rang the esa office here this morning,dont know how they are in england but here in n.ireland its a 20minute wait at least before you get through.Anyway I explained yet again to the lady why I was ringing mix up with benefit etc and asked to speak to the customer manager.She told me they dont have a customer manager but gave me an address for "customer services" I asked was there a phone number or email address for them but she said I would just have to put it in writing.I find when I ring these people although they try to help they give me the impression they have a stock answer to each question you ask.In the letter I have written to "customer services" I have asked them to repay me any benefits owed from april 2010 to the present and I also asked them if I would be entitled to compensation for those loss of benefits.Now on the assumption (as I expect)they refuse me compensation for the loss where do I go from there? would I need a solicitor to take action and if so I assume it will cost me for a case I may not win.have you any advice please? thanks.

Please take a look at this document entitled Financial Redress Administration Guide.

You don't need a solicitor (who may levy a charge for the work involved) or indeed anybody else to pursue a case of maladministration, but if there are any organisations who you feel could assist with your complaint, you may wish to consult them first?

Hi all update on my esa money underpay.Received a call from esa customer service this morning and a nice lady apologised most earnestly for the (in her words)unheard of mixup.First she told me she has sent a file to the payments department to inform them of the mixup and she said they will make a special payment backdated to july last year plus compensation for the loss of benefit.She didnt say how much compensation as she said its not her department but she did say its not much but my backdated benefit should be substantial.Now she also said she has investigated my case and cannot understand
a,How although I attended a medical they have no record of me or them being told which group I was to go into.
b,Who it was sent me for pathways to work interviews as she can find no record of letters sent to me.
c,why when I finished the pathway to work interviews no further action was suggested for me and I was just left in limbo until I contacted them.
Finally she said a medical is being arranged as a matter of urgency.I was still confused when I finished speaking to her because I thought the matter of which group I went into was her departments responsibility yet she says they have no record.Anyway hopefully I will receive the back money and the medical will go well.One last thing as she was speaking to me she was obviously using her computer and she said "some of these records on this file seem to have been wiped"Im not sure she meant me to hear that but she did seem as confused as I was after that.I will let you know any new developments.

Hi James, what an unbelievable cock up! Hope you get all monies owed to you very soon!

Do you think you are up to contacting the Work and Pensions Select Committee with your story? It is the sort of thing they should be made aware of!

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Best wishes
Rachel

absolutely thanks for the link.

Hi all latest update with my ongoing battle with esa.As I had heard no more regarding backdated payments since I was told they would be treating it as "a matter of urgency" I rang esa 2 weeks back and was told they had asked my doctor for some information and when it was forthcoming they could tell me better when/if I have to attend another medical.They said they had been waiting for this information since august 7th and suggested I contact my doctor which I did.She herself was on a weeks leave and returned on monday last.She rang me yesterday (wednesday)and said she was forwarding the information requested yesterday.This morning I received a letter from medical support services requesting me to attend a medical on tuesday 27 sept.Now I assume theres noway they received the information from my doctor as the letter was dated on tuesday 6th sept.I was wondering when the esa people receive the information sent by my doctor could they still decide I dont require a medical and cancel this forthcoming one or are they more likely just to let it happen anyway?