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Telephone interview details
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7 years 5 months ago #172926 by Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by Gordon on topic Telephone interview details
B x
We don't deal with Housing Benefit on the forum so I can only offer a best guess.
DLA and PIP are not used to calculate entitlement for HB as far as I am aware, but an award does enable the payment of certain Premiums in benefits such as ESA(IR) and Income Support.
Although these are not "paid" with HB they are included in the calculations, for example the Enhanced Disability Premium is paid for DLA HRC or PIP Enhanced Daily Living, so it could be the loss of this Premium from your HB calculations that has resulted in a change in the amount payable.
All I can suggest is that you get local face to face advice. Do an internet search for "welfare advice" with your postcode, town, or county.
Gordon
We don't deal with Housing Benefit on the forum so I can only offer a best guess.
DLA and PIP are not used to calculate entitlement for HB as far as I am aware, but an award does enable the payment of certain Premiums in benefits such as ESA(IR) and Income Support.
Although these are not "paid" with HB they are included in the calculations, for example the Enhanced Disability Premium is paid for DLA HRC or PIP Enhanced Daily Living, so it could be the loss of this Premium from your HB calculations that has resulted in a change in the amount payable.
All I can suggest is that you get local face to face advice. Do an internet search for "welfare advice" with your postcode, town, or county.
Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
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7 years 5 months ago #173404 by B x
Replied by B x on topic Telephone interview details
I rang DWP today to check all the documents I sent are on their system, just as well as they said yes three pages, told them I sent seven for the MR (each with my name and NIC number), rang me back and confirmed the rest had now "been located and had been uploaded".
I asked if the file had been assigned to a DM for the MR, they said it had been passed to Blackpool (decision letter came from Wolverhampton which has been my correspondence address) and the file note he read me was "for further investigation and consideration".
Is there any relevance in the Blackpool office being mentioned and that a different DM might be assigned for the MR as I have read on B&W that although this should be the course of action, often it is not followed and the original DM keeps the file ?
Is that wording "further investigation" the usual, or dare I hope that my complaint to Capita (copied to DWP) may be taken into account ? For the record, over a week on from sending my ten page complaint to Capita they have not acknowledged it and am thinking they may not either.
The guy I spoke with this monring said there is no time frame for an MR, I thought there was ?
Many thanks for all your help,
B x
I asked if the file had been assigned to a DM for the MR, they said it had been passed to Blackpool (decision letter came from Wolverhampton which has been my correspondence address) and the file note he read me was "for further investigation and consideration".
Is there any relevance in the Blackpool office being mentioned and that a different DM might be assigned for the MR as I have read on B&W that although this should be the course of action, often it is not followed and the original DM keeps the file ?
Is that wording "further investigation" the usual, or dare I hope that my complaint to Capita (copied to DWP) may be taken into account ? For the record, over a week on from sending my ten page complaint to Capita they have not acknowledged it and am thinking they may not either.
The guy I spoke with this monring said there is no time frame for an MR, I thought there was ?
Many thanks for all your help,
B x
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7 years 5 months ago #173418 by Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by Gordon on topic Telephone interview details
B x
Wolverhampton is a mail handling site, all mail for the DWP goes there and is then sent on to the relevant office to be dealt with.
I'm afraid there is no required time for an MR to be completed in although a past Minister for the DWP suggested that they should take four weeks.
It's a standard letter. Your complaint will not have any impact on the Decision unless it results in the assessment report being withdrawn or revised, you will have to wait to see if this happens.
Gordon
Wolverhampton is a mail handling site, all mail for the DWP goes there and is then sent on to the relevant office to be dealt with.
I'm afraid there is no required time for an MR to be completed in although a past Minister for the DWP suggested that they should take four weeks.
It's a standard letter. Your complaint will not have any impact on the Decision unless it results in the assessment report being withdrawn or revised, you will have to wait to see if this happens.
Gordon
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7 years 5 months ago #173615 by B x
Replied by B x on topic Telephone interview details
Just another little update, was speaking to our GP over the weekend and he suggested I should make a formal complaint to the Nursing and Midwifery Council concerning the nurse who carried out my assessment. So have done as he suggested.
Might not change anything DWP do about my award but if it helps prevent others having a lie sheet written by her then all so well and good.
B x
Might not change anything DWP do about my award but if it helps prevent others having a lie sheet written by her then all so well and good.
B x
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7 years 5 months ago #173966 by B x
Replied by B x on topic Telephone interview details
May I ask another question please:
I receive a call from the complaints department at Capita this morning as a result of receiving this week copies of my letters to The Nursing and Midwifery Council, Dr Stephen Duckworth (CEO of Capita) and Penny Mordaunt (Minister for Disability) - all copied to my own Mp, although as he was one of the prime movers for the implementation of PIP I expect little support from him.
The lady made no mention of my formal complaint to them sent a couple of weeks ago, tried to tell me it was not on their system so can't have been received but as I told her I have proof of delivery via RM special delivery. And went on to say that "if" they had the letter I would receive a standard response referring me back to the DWP.
The purpose of her call was to tell me that they (Capita) had no interest in any of my communications and could do nothing about any of it and that it was all down to the DWP. When I questioned her on the conduct of one of their staff, the HP who carried out my assessment and reiterated that was the bases of my complaints she said " only the DWP can make any decision on a HP's conduct and suitability to carry out an assessment.
Also that anything the Nursing Council may pursue would be done to the DWP, not Capita.
That sounds like a total fob off to me or is that indeed how it all works ?
Many thanks in anticipation.
I receive a call from the complaints department at Capita this morning as a result of receiving this week copies of my letters to The Nursing and Midwifery Council, Dr Stephen Duckworth (CEO of Capita) and Penny Mordaunt (Minister for Disability) - all copied to my own Mp, although as he was one of the prime movers for the implementation of PIP I expect little support from him.
The lady made no mention of my formal complaint to them sent a couple of weeks ago, tried to tell me it was not on their system so can't have been received but as I told her I have proof of delivery via RM special delivery. And went on to say that "if" they had the letter I would receive a standard response referring me back to the DWP.
The purpose of her call was to tell me that they (Capita) had no interest in any of my communications and could do nothing about any of it and that it was all down to the DWP. When I questioned her on the conduct of one of their staff, the HP who carried out my assessment and reiterated that was the bases of my complaints she said " only the DWP can make any decision on a HP's conduct and suitability to carry out an assessment.
Also that anything the Nursing Council may pursue would be done to the DWP, not Capita.
That sounds like a total fob off to me or is that indeed how it all works ?
Many thanks in anticipation.
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7 years 5 months ago #173969 by Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by Gordon on topic Telephone interview details
B x
Sounds like a poor (very poor) attempt at a brush off.
Whilst the DWP set the standards for Assessor training it is clearly Capita's responsibility to ensure that their assessors meet and maintain those standards.
Assessors are employed by Capita and not the DWP and whilst we don't have access to the terms and conditions of the contract under which Capita provides PIP assessment services for the DWP, I would be extremely surprised if it deals with the actions of a single assessor in anyway.
Are they suggesting that if the assessor carried some action completely inappropriate to the assessment that it would be the DWP who would deal with, complete rubbish, an employer is responsible for the actions of their employees.
Gordon
Sounds like a poor (very poor) attempt at a brush off.
Whilst the DWP set the standards for Assessor training it is clearly Capita's responsibility to ensure that their assessors meet and maintain those standards.
Assessors are employed by Capita and not the DWP and whilst we don't have access to the terms and conditions of the contract under which Capita provides PIP assessment services for the DWP, I would be extremely surprised if it deals with the actions of a single assessor in anyway.
Are they suggesting that if the assessor carried some action completely inappropriate to the assessment that it would be the DWP who would deal with, complete rubbish, an employer is responsible for the actions of their employees.
Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
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