ESA50 form being redirected so may be late!

Hi all,

My ESA50 form was due back today. I posted it yesterday Special Delivery at the local Post Office at a cost of £5.90. This guarantees next day delivery and has always worked for me in the past. It is signed for and can be tracked as proof that the delivery arrived on time.

However I have just gone to the Post Office's track and trace website and it says that my letter has been redirected and will arrive one day later i.e. tomorrow, at the final destination when it will be signed for.

I posted it back in the envelope supplied with the ESA50 as instructed. They have chosen to redirect it. It was not sent to the wrong address. So what will happen about the dates? Will it be regarded as late and has anyone else ever come across this before?

I got a warning letter saying that if my form had not arrived by 4/1/12 my benefits may be affected. This came about a week before the form was due back. This situation has now gotten me worried especially as I did everything according to their instructions.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I cannot see anything about this in the FAQS.

Many thanks,

Avalon

avalon wrote:

Hi all,

My ESA50 form was due back today. I posted it yesterday Special Delivery at the local Post Office at a cost of £5.90. This guarantees next day delivery and has always worked for me in the past. It is signed for and can be tracked as proof that the delivery arrived on time.

However I have just gone to the Post Office's track and trace website and it says that my letter has been redirected and will arrive one day later i.e. tomorrow, at the final destination when it will be signed for.

I posted it back in the envelope supplied with the ESA50 as instructed. They have chosen to redirect it. It was not sent to the wrong address. So what will happen about the dates? Will it be regarded as late and has anyone else ever come across this before?

I got a warning letter saying that if my form had not arrived by 4/1/12 my benefits may be affected. This came about a week before the form was due back. This situation has now gotten me worried especially as I did everything according to their instructions.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I cannot see anything about this in the FAQS.

Many thanks,

Avalon

Hi A,

Other members have suffered likewise.

There also seems to be delays when the ATOS return address is a P.O. Box Number.

The letter that you received a week ago is a standard reminder, everyone gets one. They have to send it out by law.

As long as you can prove that you took all reasonablke steps to return your ESA50 by the deadline, you should be O.K.

You can not be held responsible for the inadequacies of the P.O.


I personally, have not had any reports back from other members, regarding any further problems, when there ESA50 was delayed in the post.

bro58

Well apparently completed ESA50 forms are opened first in a Royal Mail Sorting Office, read by a member of staff there and then redirected on to the relevant department. So Fred Bloggs at your local sorting office could read all about you.

As there are very intimate details given on my form I find this very distressing indeed.

Here's the proof:-

diaryofabenefitscrounger.blogspot.com/20...your-esa50-form.html

So much for confidentiality!

Avalon

avalon wrote:

Well apparently completed ESA50 forms are opened first in a Royal Mail Sorting Office, read by a member of staff there and then redirected on to the relevant department. So Fred Bloggs at your local sorting office could read all about you.

As there are very intimate details given on my form I find this very distressing indeed.

Here's the proof:-

diaryofabenefitscrounger.blogspot.com/20...your-esa50-form.html

So much for confidentiality!

Avalon

Hi A,

This issue has been brought up before.

See this FOI request re this, here :

www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/dwp_and_atos_healthcare_use_of_r

bro58

Hi all,

This is actually to re-assure everyone. When read the Atos warning letter I was in a panic and I thought it said that my form had to be in by 4/1/12. Having calmed down I re-read it again and it actually says:-

"Your benefit may be affected if you do not return the questionnaire by this date." (i.e. in my case 4/1/12).

Therefore all people need is proof of posting the ESA50 form before or on the final date for returning the letter and you should be OK about not having your benefits affected.

But I never would have known about all the other stuff I stumbled across if I hadn't panicked in the first place so something has been gained!

Avalon

Hey AG. I studied law as part of a professional qualification I was doing and IF you put something into the post on the date it is due to arrive, then this, legally means, that you have sent the letter to them on the date it was supposed to be due.

Andy