What's the best way to force a DWP office to deal with a request to supercede an income support decision. I've got a client who sent in details of how her accommodation had changed, so that she should no longer be treated as a hospital patient. Every time the client's appointee enquires they say they are still considering it.

What is the best way to get a decision? Should the appointee treat it as a refusal or complain to the Parliamentary Ombudsman or what?

Maybe a call from an adviser to the member of staff handling the case would help clarify the situation?

If not, my next thought would normally be to speak to the customer complaints officer for the DWP/Jobcentreplus office concerned. In my experience they quickly check what's happening and get back to you by phone the same day or asap. That can sometimes - but doesn't always - speed things up but at least if there's a genuine reason for the delay you get to know it.

If the situation then still seems unreasonable and there appears to be no will to speed things up, perhaps the claimant's MP would be interested?

I think Ombudsman complaints are a last resort and may be slower in getting results than the first 2 options.

Other possibility DWP solicitor's office New Court 48 Carey Street London WC2A 2LS 0207 962 8000.

Hi Andrew, i'm really curious about your posting as general query rather than the specific query in the original posting ie can you please elaborate/share in terms of scenarios, tactics and strategies etc as i suspect you have some really useful nuggets of empirical experience of using the DWP Solicitors that i for one would benefit from interms of getting the best out situations for my clients.

yours in hopeful expectation

Andy