Obligation to phone DWP?

Hi

I have just received my IB to ESA transfer letter saying that they will be phoning me to explain the transfer process. I have previous read on this forum/website that if I don't speak to the DWP on the phone it doesn't matter, the transfer process will just continue rolling on with them eventually sending me an ESA50 form to complete...

Is it a new thing though, that they say in the aforementioned pro-forma letter that if they don't manage to get hold of me, I should phone them? (I don't remember that aspect being mentioned before and couldn't find anything about them telling claimants to do that when I did a search - but sorry if I missed postings about this.)

As they are now asking claimants to phone them (at local rates), will it affect my claim if I don't?

Many thanks in anticipation of your thoughts/experience of this.

Nofuss

If the DWP can't get hold of you via phone they'll just send out the ESA50.

See Here

Thanks for replying, Gareth.

I had read the information on that link before posting my question...

My question is concerning the fact that the DWP are now putting in those 'notice of transfer letters' that, if they don't get hold of you, you have to phone them, i.e. 'within two weeks of the date of this letter'...I am wondering/worried that this seemingly new obligation that they are placing up upon transferees might negate the advice that if you don't speak to them, they'll send out the ESA50 form anyway.

Hi, just to let you know I had the same letter sent to me in November at the start of my IB to ESA transfer and it said the same thing about ringing them after 2 weeks if they hadnt contacted me , so dont think this is new. Hope that helps.
Best wishes

Thanks, Gordon - that's reassuring.