We are in one of the areas experimenting with the new telephone applications for Crisis Loans. Can anyone out there with similar experience tell me, if a telephone application is made and refused is the client still entitled to a written decision? I would have thought so but not sure what to base that on.

One of the problems this is causing is that in order to get a section 12 social work payment a client has to show that they've been refused a crisis loan, which they can't do without a written decision...

Ahh the joys of the petty bureaucracy of the social fund. Dontcha love it???

I've just tried sending this once - hope I'm not just repeating a posting now...

The Social Fund Guide states:"If the decision is negative, the customer will receive that decision by telephone avoiding unnecessary journeys to the office and will also receive by post full written confirmation of teh decision and notification of the right to a formal review".

As quoted in an article in the Inspectors' Journal - read it here :http://www.irs-review.org.uk/infocent/journals/journals.htm

We have the phone system up here as well - and it is a disaster. The phones are constantly engaged and nobody can get through. The legislation is still clear though that any paper application form must be accepted so you are still able to take that route for the moment.