This is just a rant. Contact with the benefit delivery centres is driving me crazy. My client made a claim for IS in January as a carer for his wife (both on ssp coping with her terminal diagnosis). In April he got a notice that they are not entitled from March?? (80 pence over without housing cost ). I wrote a 'nice' letter asking for revision asking for housing costs to be considered. Someone consequently sent out an MI12 to him. He now has a letter back saying no housing costs as not on IS. I rang to ask that this decision was referred back to my letter. They never received it apparantly. This is one of many letters that seemingly never get there (although why did someone send the MI12). I have tried recorded delivery but I was told last time that as they are opened elsewhere there is no way of tracking them after they have reached the post section. I have tried faxing as well but it is rare you can get through and that hasn't worked either. If they are going to continue to ignore revision requests on nil decisions I'm getting to the point that the only way I can ensure entitement is to get the client make a new claim every time something changes. In this case this would have been later in March when Carers Allowance was awarded, Then again in May when SSP stopped and now another new claim as his wife has just died.

when chasing up on a previous letter, attach a copy of the previous letter, by staple.....