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Forum Home  →  Discussion  →  Covid-19 issues  →  Thread

Work and Pensions Committee asking if any evidence of problems getting through to DWP on phone - URGENT

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Andyp5 Citizens Advice Bridport & District
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Daphne - 26 March 2020 01:50 PM

I only know what was said in the evidence hearing yesterday Andy - they seemed to be saying they would try and verify over the phone in outbound call - clip of the relevant bit below -

https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/f4fa274e-9c0e-4a7a-a981-a9c3e49c1a5b?in=10:01:13&out=10:01:50

we have asked for proper guidance about the process for both digital and non-digital claims including the verification process

Thanks Daphne!

Dan Manville
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Daphne - 26 March 2020 01:50 PM

we have asked for proper guidance about the process for both digital and non-digital claims including the verification process

Will that, or might that,  include guidance covering when the biographical checks can’t access enough information?

I’ve seen guidance covering what happens when people fail their biog but “sorry we don’t know you” from DWP is a new one for me but has been reported today.

Thanks

Andyp5 Citizens Advice Bridport & District
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From CITA for UC

‘Verify

We have received an update on Verify ID appointments from the HTC programme team.

Currently the client is still required to ring the 0800 number they are given. At the point they get through, they will be told not to attend the JCP but will be offered a telephone appointment instead.

The client will receive a call back from a work coach who will confirm circumstances and process their claim. They ask clients to gather all available evidence for this call’.

KMJones
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I noticed that UC APPG shared tips by this guy on Twitter: https://mrfrankzola.wordpress.com/2020/03/26/uc-and-verify/

Not official guidance but we’ve been hearing that this works well:

Whilst waiting in the Verify queue, log into your UC account via a new browser tab and go to the Journal section and use the ‘Appointments’ option to request the DWP call you back and explicitly ask for Biographical Test/Bio Test (pdf) (ID verification) to be done over the phone. The Journal facilitates direct messages to the DWP and replies are auto notified via email, which allows for calls to the UC claim line to continue as well as waiting for Verify process to complete.


Claimants should note that call back from DWP is usually from unknown/withheld number.

As ever, do let me know about cases that illustrate issues and/or solutions like this for the Early Warning System: https://cpag.org.uk/policy-campaigns/early-warning-system

Wensleyfoss
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Biographical appts are being made by the DWP and added to the journals. I am being contacted, to say appts have been made but that the claimant isn’t receiving a call at the expected time or date.
Any advice please? Thanks

Daphne
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Series of tweets from DWP this morning advising when to make calls - https://twitter.com/DWP/status/1245351286872080387


One warns -

Our phone systems mean calls from us register as 0800 numbers, or an unknown number. If you get a call from an unknown number at the time of your appointment please pick up - it’s likely to be us.

Also says -

We’re sorry if you’ve been waiting to book an appointment. If you call through & ask for the soonest available appointment, we’ll get to you as soon as one is free. Your jobcentre may also call you if they see that you have applied online but haven’t got an appointment yet

Andyp5 Citizens Advice Bridport & District
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We got this response from a Partnership higher up the Jurassic coast in response to our questions regarding Dorset JCP district wide. 

‘In these unprecedented times we are continually looking at how we can best respond to the current demand. As such we are streamlining processes wherever possible.

The Understanding Universal Credit Coronavirus and claiming benefits page is being developed into a wider benefits and employment support ‘hub’ and this will include an extensive Q&A document. We have shared the key question areas ,received internally and externally, with the team developing the Q&A and these are being incorporated where possible.

Jobcentre Plus offices are currently closed, apart from to those most vulnerable, however our teams are working in them to deliver services by phone. Because the lines are busy, our teams were calling all individuals if they had applied online but were not able to get through to get an appointment yet. This circumstance has now changed and we will be contacting when further clarification is required to progress their claim. It’s very important we get the balance of messaging right to ensure we are maximising the support to individuals claiming.

Our main message would be to please keep an eye on all Journal messages as this is where the key messaging will be regarding their claim’.

Wensleyfoss
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Daphne - 02 April 2020 09:16 AM

Series of tweets from DWP this morning advising when to make calls - https://twitter.com/DWP/status/1245351286872080387


One warns -

Our phone systems mean calls from us register as 0800 numbers, or an unknown number. If you get a call from an unknown number at the time of your appointment please pick up - it’s likely to be us.

Also says -

We’re sorry if you’ve been waiting to book an appointment. If you call through & ask for the soonest available appointment, we’ll get to you as soon as one is free. Your jobcentre may also call you if they see that you have applied online but haven’t got an appointment yet

Hi Daphne, we have had four people this morning, not receive a call as advised on their journals. Just had another one send me a photo of the appt, for yesterday at 4pm which didn’t happen.

Daphne
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DWP have just announced people making new UC claim do not need to call to verify - DWP will call them -

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/don-t-call-us-we-ll-call-you

[ Edited: 14 Apr 2020 at 04:00 pm by shawn mach ]
Daphne
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Had an stakeholder teleconference call this morning - apparently there is an issue with claimants not answering outbound call as comes up as ‘no caller ID’ - there should be message in journal saying when outbound call will come so claimant knows to expect it then and hopefully can answer. Also, if they have access to journal they can ask work coach to write some specific words in journal to verify that they are from DWP.