Now recieved THREE ESA forms in one week!

(sorry if this is repetition - the first attempt wouldn't post and then crashed so I don't know if it went through!)

Well I've gone from no form at all to 3 ESA50s in one week. Each with a different return address.

I had written to explain why I would not attend the face-to-face. I enclosed a letter from my consultant, and a list of how my illness affects my ability to work.

The following week I received a letter saying I hadn't turned up for the interview and hadn't explained why. I had 9 days to answer or be sanctioned. So I sent in everything again (both times registered and to the same address) and my husband wrote a covering letter.

Over last week I received three forms. The first had no note or letter etc with it, but a return envelope for Wolverhampton, Wembley dept. The second had a note to send it back to Wembley office direct. I rang and asked where to send it, they said Wembley. I asked why I had had two from different places and was told, "Oh it's probably a trainee somewhere who doesn't know the ropes yet."

Then a third arrived, with a letter, which said to send it to Wolverhampton, Leeds dept.

I rang again and asked if any of the info, letter from consultant, etc., had been received, since all the answers for the form were in what I had already sent. Got an interesting reply-
yes, they said, there was a note on the system that I had sent in info and that the decision maker had accepted my reasons for not going to the interview. "It's ok, "they said, "The decision maker came down in your favour."

OK, I said, I know that, but are there copies of what I sent in on the system? -NO.
Is there a note of what evidence I sent you? -NO,just that you sent something.
In other words, it's filed away somewhere or on a desk presumably in one of three offices, and no record on their system, other than I sent *something* in.

I'm posting this to tell you 2 things, really-
1) write a firm letter asking for a form, quote their website, quote things from this site, anything you can find to stress that you should have one.

2) if you think there is any possibility that the face-to-face *MAY* be following a previous form, tell them you want a form because you want to give them up to date info. If they say you can do that at the face-to-face insist that you can't- not enough time, don't trust the interviewer, even that you might not remember everything because of nerves. Push and push. And say bringing a form to the interview means there might not be time to go through it.

3) I got my husband to write for me. I couldn't face it though I did try to write it myself and just kept breaking down! Maybe having someone to write on your behalf shows that someone is there to help you and they need to take you seriously????? Or shows that you need help. Don't know, worth a try.

4) KEEP COPIES OF EVERYTHING AND SEND EVERYTHING REGISTERED. Plus, I refused to deal with them on the phone when they rang me several times as I said I wanted a record of everything said. (When I rang about the different addresses I felt ok cos I was 'in charge' of the call and didn't need to speak to them out of the blue so was prepared)

Finally remember what they said about a trained 'not knowing the ropes yet' and never presume they know better than you.

yes so long as there is always "good cause" and copies of everything is kept..

Is this maximus? with ESA50 forms? 2014 ATOS sent me 3 same forms, one a month.

I just ignored them, atos, till i had to cancel a F2F, then the attitude from the call taker was that of someone just dragged in from off the street and no clue as to what they were doing... i soon gave short shrift and got her to stand - to! 2nd cancellation, to maximus invite of F2F done for me by a relative, also had call taker with a stinking attitude.

Thanks for the tips all helps