recorded delivery

hi everyone
i sent off my esa50,s on the 25/7/11, one to atos and one to the decision maker both recorded delivery both at the same time, i tracked the letters on post office website an found that the letter to plymouth got there on the 26/7/11, the day after i sent them but the one to bristol 5 miles away still has not been signed for today 29/7/11 . the forms have to be back by 4/8/11 or my benefit could be stopped. so i decided to phone the post office to find out what was going on, i was told that the p.o. box that is used for the department of work and pension is only collected once a week and sometimes it may only get collected once every two weeks, i think that this is terrible when peoples lives are being torn appart by atos and that they may only collect the mail once a fortnight. this is just a warning to everyone that there is no guarantee that your forms will be in on time and that your forms are not signed for until they collect the letters from the p.o. box
best regards to all

I suspect that the date the envelope is stamped will be the relevant date, but as long as you have proof of the date the letter was sent, you should be OK.

That said, it is quite worrying when the DWP can stop your benefit for any reason they can find.

Apparently it seems they can just stop your benefit, for having the temerity to be a benefit claimant!!!!

You certainly should not be held responsible for delays which their postal arrangements have created.

Out of interest, I wonder what date the signed receipt for Recorded Delivery gets dated when mail is sent to a PO Box? I hope I'm wrong but I imagine it gets signed for when the owner of the PO Box eventually comes along to collect his mail.

-Finni

hi finni
i have been told by the post office that the day that the post is picked up is the day it gets signed for hence the date it would be recieved.i have checked the post office tracking again this morning and my forms have still not been signed for,like i said in my main post, i sent both sets of forms on the 25/7/11 the 1 to the decision maker was recieved the following morning it is now the 3/8/11 that is 8 days and atos has still not picked up the mail from the post offic box. my forms have to be in on 4/8/11 that is tomorrow. it is absolutely disgusting.my benefits may be stopped, they can stop your benefit then find out the reasons not find out the reasons then maybe stop the benefits. when people totaly rely on there benefits it can cause all sorts of problems,terrible,terrible,terrible
best regards

darrenay wrote:

hi finni
i have been told by the post office that the day that the post is picked up is the day it gets signed for hence the date it would be recieved.i have checked the post office tracking again this morning and my forms have still not been signed for,like i said in my main post, i sent both sets of forms on the 25/7/11 the 1 to the decision maker was recieved the following morning it is now the 3/8/11 that is 8 days and atos has still not picked up the mail from the post offic box. my forms have to be in on 4/8/11 that is tomorrow. it is absolutely disgusting.my benefits may be stopped, they can stop your benefit then find out the reasons not find out the reasons then maybe stop the benefits. when people totaly rely on there benefits it can cause all sorts of problems,terrible,terrible,terrible
best regards

DD,

Sorry to hear of your problems, and can understand why you are so worried.

If I was you I would write letter to your DM, recorded delivery, (keep copy), and send the same to ATOS, explaining exactly what has happened as on your post.

You could also phone, but don't just rely on your phone contact alone.

Further, you may be able to E-Mail ATOS, from their website, see link here :

www.atoshealthcare.com/index.php?option=...ion&id=14&Itemid=288

I know it may seem a bit of an "overkill", write, phone, e-mail, but you know what they are like. You could also include a copy of your recorded delivery slip.

Good luck

bro58