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Forum Home  →  Discussion  →  Work capability issues and ESA  →  Thread

Telephone wait times

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Mick Quinn
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Welfare rights officer - Northumberland County Council

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Rang PIP existing claims…..eventually got through options and spoke to someone only for their line to go dead after one word….
Rang again, same options (no welsh please) eventually got through the options (again)and spoke to someone only for their line to go dead a second time before anyone could speak….
Nothing if not Tenacious D. so rang third time, same options, eventually got through (same) options (again)and spoke to someone (Sun broke through Halleluiah Chorus in the background) any problems with your system I enquired….’none at all, it must be your end!’
Well that explains that then….I’m off have a good one!!

Mr Finch
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Benefits adviser - Isle of Wight CAB

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Held 12 minutes to ESA and was then dropped. Now 15 minutes and waiting, client has left so will probably get nowhere…

Dan_Manville
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Mental health & welfare rights service - Wolverhampton City Council

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12 minues of Vivaldi starts the week really well.

Honest!

Charlie.RNIB
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RNIB Legal Rights Service

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Generally in the morning I have to wait up to 5 minutes - but often much quicker - getting through to 0345 608 8545. Mid to late afternoons though it’s noticeably longer. Not sure why their service should be winding down at 4pm?  I’ve virtually given up on calls to the TCO - waits of over 30 min are the norm.

I haven’t noted if anyone has mentioned the irritating recent addition to telephonist’s script about using their services at .Gov.uk? If I could access my client’s case records and miraculously sort out their benefit problems by accessing a (poor) public information website I would!

Dave Coughlan
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Benefits adviser - Springfield Psychiatric Hospital, London

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Phoned DWP this morning and had a wonderful experience, having to explain to a lovely lady (she may have been automated, can’t seem to tell the difference), why I was calling. Tried a few phrases without success, ended up saying ‘missed payment’. The real person I spoke to explained this is supposed to help them but they answer the phone without looking at the screen.

1964
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Deputy Manager, Reading Community Welfare Rights Unit

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Grrrrr- it’s awful isn’t it?

Rang earlier to chase up on a JSA anytime revision request. It wouldn’t recognize ‘revision’ at all (and came up with ‘food bank referral’ as the reason for my call) and then cut me off altogether….

Ali D
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NHAS housing/debt caseworker - Shelter

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Had my own little Xmas miracle this week. I sent a brief letter with a form of authority signed by client to Belfast Benefit Centre. Received a call back the next day from a member of ESA team who provided a direct number. rang back and she answered the phone immediately. she provided an email address to submit a scanned copy of the ESA85 and within 48 hours the claim was reinstated and backdated and the payment put into client’s account. she also gave me the direct number for SMI section who were equally helpful.

Somewhat nonplussed. 😊

Dan_Manville
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Mental health & welfare rights service - Wolverhampton City Council

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1964 - 15 December 2015 01:34 PM

Grrrrr- it’s awful isn’t it?

Rang earlier to chase up on a JSA anytime revision request. It wouldn’t recognize ‘revision’ at all (and came up with ‘food bank referral’ as the reason for my call) and then cut me off altogether….

It recognises “reconsideration” at least, not as well though when there are lots of social workers buzzing away in the background…

Dan_Manville
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Mental health & welfare rights service - Wolverhampton City Council

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Well they may not have removed Vivaldi but the mystery voice asking what I want seems to have disappeared.

Has DWP offered us an olive branch I wonder? Has a rabble of welfs stormed Quarry House? Or is it just broke?

edit. It must’ve been broke

sob

[ Edited: 17 Dec 2015 at 03:49 pm by Dan_Manville ]
Ruth_T
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Volunteer adviser - Corby Borough Welfare Rights & CAB

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I happened to catch yesterday’s radio drama “A speck of dust” which gave a pretty good illustration of the frustration experienced by our clients with automated telephone systems. Nothing new to advisers, but worth listening to on iPlayer at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06s1rmd    Start listening at 10 min 55 sec.

Pete C
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Pete at CAB

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Dan Manville - 17 December 2015 03:00 PM

Well they may not have removed Vivaldi but the mystery voice asking what I want seems to have disappeared.

Has DWP offered us an olive branch I wonder? Has a rabble of welfs stormed Quarry House? Or is it just broke?

edit. It must’ve been broke

sob

I like the idea that the collective noun for a group of welfs is a ‘rabble’

nevip
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Welfare rights adviser - Sefton Council, Liverpool

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1964 - 15 December 2015 01:34 PM

Grrrrr- it’s awful isn’t it?

Rang earlier to chase up on a JSA anytime revision request. It wouldn’t recognize ‘revision’ at all (and came up with ‘food bank referral’ as the reason for my call) and then cut me off altogether….

Sorry Barry, Idon’t understand weccomend a westawant.  See the Big Bang Theory.

1964
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Deputy Manager, Reading Community Welfare Rights Unit

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LOL!!

‘Open the cargo bay doors Hal…’

Martin Williams
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Welfare rights advisor - CPAG, London

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Just waited in excess 20 minutes from 11:10am to get through to the IS/JSA/ESA line- previously I have expected that kind of wait if ringing from 4pm onwards. To experience it in the morning is a bit worrying.

Lord Freud’s 3 minute target is in danger of being a factor ten error at this stage- perhaps he left out the “0” and it should be 30 minutes.

Martin.

Dan_Manville
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Mental health & welfare rights service - Wolverhampton City Council

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Minimum 20 minute wait has been run of the mill for the last few months; since easter at least.