what happens if you repeatedly miss an unscheduled call from DWP

I have recently sent off the PIP review form & waiting to hear...

I am often too unwell to answer the phone & have said so on the review form next to my phone number & asked them to phone my carer instead. But whether they will care/ignore that remains to be seen, but its unusual i am well enough to answer.

But even when i am physically well enough, due to my vulnerability to manipulation/scammers & also because i am at risk of contact from an escaped from domestic violence situation, I never ever answer the phone if i dont recognise the number, or if it says 'withheld' or unavailable. It would really put me at risk if i were to just answer an unknown number.

And i absolutely would not cope emotionally with an unscheduled call from DWP that i havent had time to psyche myself up for anyway, so i'd likely be just to scared to answer even if the number was shown, unless i knew it was coming.

What happens if they repeatedly ring you and you dont answer? I do have an answer machine - will they leave a msg?


Obviously if it were for a scheduled telephone assessment I would pick up, but I'm hoping to ask for a review to get a face to face (i asked for this, giving reasons, on my form, but am guessing they will likely ignore it).

thanks Gary

it only said on the form (under the contact details, and on the back page asterisked beside the 'what happens next... we may call you)

"Cemily is usually to ill to answer the phone, please call main carer on 07************"

So it didnt actually say that i dont answer unknown numbers even when i am well enough. To be honest it never occurred to me while doing the form that they would ring me from a withheld number.... I only just saw the possibility when reading up on the next stage of the process (ie assessment).

Do you think i should write and make it more clear? - ie give an explanation like the one in my opening post.

Thank you so much for helping me with all these little things, they loom so large when you're emotionally on the edge, its only B&W that is stopping me going into crisis with it all. God bless the lot of you!

Thanks so much Gary, your compassion and patience are much appreciated.

Do you think i should explain why i dont answer unknown calls?

To whom do i address it? to anyone specific? I assume i should send it to the same address i sent the form?

Hi Cemily,

Around ten years ago when I was found fit for work after an ESA assessment, before I sucessfully appealed the decision, I received several 'unknown' calls.

Being very naive at the time, I thought nothing of it. I Googled and found out that I could get a copy of the assessment report.

In it, I noticed that the assessor had mentioned that he had spoken to me and that I had nothing else to say on the matter.

This was a pack of lies as I hadn't spoken to anyone.

What I am trying to get across is the underhand tactics the DWP can and do employ to try to swing things in their favour.

Obviously, older and wiser now, I would have known what to do should it have happened at the present time.

Regards,

Phrank.