Initial IB to ESA letter but no phone call .

James wrote: Hallo The Site is a Great help.
2 weeks ago the initial IB to ESA letter arrived the first phonecall letter.(the one prior to the questionaire)
It quoted my correct mobile phone number saying they would ring me in 2 weeks maximum.
Every day I have been worryingly checking the voicemail but nothing.
(The phone is not kept with me/switched on all day all the time as this would be impractical but the voicemail IS enabled and works and has been tested.)
Either The DWP is behind with its calls or they have been left instructions not to leave a recorded message saying they called?
So its 2 weeks and have heard nothing.
How should I" play for time "please?
What do you think will happen?Will they perhaps send a written reminder?
If I wait another 2 weeks before contacting them would they cut off the benefit?
It seems it may all be bluff and they rely on claimants contacting them as they havent the time and resources but this is just speculation.Naturally I am not keen to hurry their work along.

A couple of points for you.

The DWP almost never leave a voice mail message for a claimant, it is is against their policy to do so as they do do not know who may actually listen to the message and this could compromise the actual claimant. You might want to check to see if there have been any missed calls who have not left a message.

Secondly, and more importantly, you do not need to take this call, whilst this is not always the case, in this case it is. The call is simply to find out if you have any questions in regard the transfer, if you do, then you should call the DWP, but if you do not then you do not need to take this call, all that will happen is that the DWP will move onto the next stage of the process which is to issue an ESA50 via ATOS.

This will not affect your benefit, which will continue to be paid until a Decision on your transfer is made.

Details of the transfer are available in the following FAQs.

IB/IS/SDA transfer FAQs

Please make sure that you have a look at our ESA Claim guides, so that you are prepared for when the ESA50 arrives. See

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/help-for-claimants/esa

Gordon

James wrote: Hallo Gordon,Fascinating well this is my last post for now.I will follow your excellent advice.I was wondering if I rang them up if it is more in the claimants interest to stipulate that they want to be sent the "newer"version of the ES 50 rather then the "old "one as they are going to be tested by the "new full WCA anyway"whichever form they fill in?
To say to them that I knew of the existence of 2 forms and that they ought to send me the right one?
But think I wil leave it and see what they send,anyway if its ATOS sending the form the DWP may not have control over which form gets sent gets sent out anyway?...
So I will not respond to the phone call and see what happens,
Great Thanks for taking the time to advise me!

I am afraid claimants do not get to choose which version of the ESA50 they receive, I suspect it might not be a practical suggestion

Gordon