Completely ignored by the DWP

Hi,

I'm Paul, a new member, so I'd just like to say a cordial "hello" to anyone reading this before I go on.

I am having problems with artery disease, cardiomyopathy, arthritis and a few related muscle problems. I am still very early in the process of claiming, but I just can't seem to get past the first hurdles.

When I sent my first fit note, it was lost in the post, when I took a replacement in person to my local Jobcentre Plus, they wouldn't give me a receipt and they lost that too. After much time on the phone, I was advised by one adviser to make an appointment to take my ESA 3 form in, which the adviser said they booked. When I went in I was told I didn't have an appointment and that they were very busy. After much pleading, someone interceded for me and arranged for someone to see me around two hours later. When I finally did get to see someone, he was highly taciturn, only making it clear that he wouldn't help in any way, but simply took my documents off me, and I also found out that I did have an apppointment after all, but that they "shouldn't have made it" for reasons which I didn't understand. The ESA 3 form I handed in that time has been lost too, so I have now sent a second one via Special Delivery.

When trying to chase this up, with hours of listening to very distorted music by Vivaldi, I keep being told by different assistants that they are "escalating" my case and that someone will phone me back urgently. They never do though and I know it sounds a bit pathetic to be failing at the first hurdle like this but I am just completely lost now as whatever I do, I just seem to be ignored and get the runaround.

Sorry if the preamble was rather long but my question is: are there any better ways of being heard? Are there any other avenues to pursue with them because no matter what I seem to do, everything just seems to be going around in circles.

Many thanks, Paul.

Thankyou Gordon, much appreciated. I guess I'll have to write to Jeremy Corbyn then as he's my MP. I'm glad it isn't Iain Duncan Smith!

I my the claim on 19th September, have had to fill in my ESA 50, and yet I haven't even received any acceptance of the claim yet.