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

Claimant with LCWRA keeps being told to get fit notes and enters a scenario from a famous novel

Andrew Dutton
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Welfare rights service - Derbyshire County Council

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Joined: 12 October 2012

The person is retired, into the bargain.

UC’s suggested solution:

‘You are correct, Mr——— is not required to report any Fitnotes on his claim, these messages are automated after each reported Fitnote expires, please advise Mr——— to ignore his next request and not report one, once he does this they will stop coming through.’

Meanwhile, from a famous novel:

‘There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one’s safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn’t, but if he was sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn’t have to; but if he didn’t want to he was sane and had to. Yossarian was moved very deeply by the absolute simplicity of this clause of Catch-22 and let out a respectful whistle.

“That’s some catch, that Catch-22,” he observed.

“It’s the best there is,” Doc Daneeka agreed.’

 

 

CHAC Adviser
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Caseworker - CHAC, Middlesbrough

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Reminds me of the time that a client of mine had won their benefit appeal so had had an overpayment wiped. Debt Management were slow to actually process this and apparently the only team that could was based in Glasgow “so”, says I, “can you put me through to the Glasgow team please?” to which I am told “No, that isn’t possible we have no way of contacting them actually”.  When I enquired what we could do then to prevent an automatic letter being sent to my clients employer for a deduction from wages to be made whilst waiting for this Glasgow team to sort things out I was informed the only option was to agree a payment plan. “But we both know that he doesn’t owe the money?” “Yes, indeed but we cannot override the computer, only Glasgow can do that, so unless there’s a payment plan it will send the letter” “So, to be clear, the only option here is for my client to enter into an agreement with yourselves when both you and I know that not a penny of this payment plan will ever actually be paid?” to which the answer came, sheepishly, “Yes, that’s correct”.

Somehow my phone remained intact rather than smashed against the nearest wall…

HarlowAC
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Harlow Advice Centre

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I got this reply today when I asked for the date a decision was made to close someone’s UC claim

“There is no requirement for a decision maker to decide on if a claim should be closed if a claimant does not accept their commitments within 7 days”.

Hmm

Andyp5 Citizens Advice Bridport & District
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Citizens Advice Bridport & District

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From a UC MRN

‘The onus is upon the claimant to provide the relevant evidence on time, despite being
misinformed of the benefit system and its processes’.

Andrew Dutton
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Welfare rights service - Derbyshire County Council

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Total Posts: 1955

Joined: 12 October 2012

Oh my ears and whiskers….....

Dan Manville
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Greater Manchester Law Centre

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Joined: 22 January 2020

Nope, ignore me… he’s retired!

[ Edited: 19 Jul 2022 at 02:16 pm by Dan Manville ]