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13% of PIP2 forms are not returned
According to response to written question yesterday - and just under half returned within 28 days.
Unfortunately it doesn’t say what happens to the 129,000 who didn’t return them…
Unfortunately it doesn’t say what happens to the 129,000 who didn’t return them…
Or how many were returned but disapeared down the black hole in the Black Country that is DWP post handling? Or is it all the Royal Mail’s fault (am I right in thinking that RM currently hold the DWP mail opening & scanning contract?)?
and how many of those 129000 claimants who didn’t return the forms went on to make a further new claim for PIP?
Of the percentage not returned in 28 days how many then went on to have an extension allowed and did fill it in? We hardly ever help with a form that hasn’t been allowed an extension. There just isn’t time for claimants to receive the form, get help and get it back in time for their original deadline date. At least the DWP tend to allow extensions. Why not just give 6 weeks in the first instance?
Of the percentage not returned in 28 days how many then went on to have an extension allowed and did fill it in? We hardly ever help with a form that hasn’t been allowed an extension. There just isn’t time for claimants to receive the form, get help and get it back in time for their original deadline date. At least the DWP tend to allow extensions. Why not just give 6 weeks in the first instance?
Of whom a significant number will of course be completely oblivious to there even being the option of an extension so the form will simply sit there until the next time they feel able to give it a shot.
Absolutely. These are the people who have known about our service, contacted and been told they can ask for an extension. No doubt a very low percentage of the claimants out there.
I wonder what percentage of PIP2 forms are going missing their end.
Have currently got 2 cases, one where the claimant sent in a PIP2 by recorded delivery that went missing their end after they signed for it, then same claimant sent another PIP2 (not by recorded delivery) which the department say they didn’t receive. They have just sent a 3rd PIP2 out which I will be posting. The second case is where I sent the PIP2 in and they refused the claim. They suggested a mandy attaching a copy of the PIP2. Awaiting an outcome on that one.
PIP EL staff seem to take it in their stride and don’t appear overly surprised at forms going missing. I can’t recall coming across these issues with other benefit forms.
Is anyone else having problems with PIP2 forms going missing their end?
I would guess a significant portion of the 129,000 must be lost post. As with RM and other post services nationally there are no adequate stats kept though, which is somewhat convenient.
Slightly OT but Telford (Wolverhampton) post and scanning is handled by a private company as are the outgoing invite letters etc. Don’t think it’s RM. Thought it was Serco or similar for both. In that context all we ever do is send post to an organisational address where it’s never handled by DWP, only by the 3rd party. Thus it will never be the DWP who sign so they can always legitimately deny receipt. Have heard of several cases where clients tried to argue for receipt when using recorded delivery. All failed as best I recall because of the third party issue.
That on top of there being no track and trace for recorded mail (although some people still mistakenly think there is) really doesn’t help. DWP staff are cynical and not at all surprised at the volume of stuff which goes awol. Their unions made the case as things were privatised and so it has come to pass.
All that said I’ve seen more problems with AA forms going awol than PIP recently. Doubtless it happens in significant numbers. I’ve just yet to see it.