Well it's 4 weeks since I sent my Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) form back and I'm still none the wiser as to what is happening as I haven't yet heard anything. On the advice of my local welfare rights I contacted Jobcentre Plus last Tuesday because due to a change in circumstances the date that I'd said on my form I wasn't available to do a medical had changed, as my consultant very kindly announced he was going on holiday for 3 weeks - the surgery I was having on the 3rd November has now been moved 6 weeks to the 8th December.
As you are left completely in the dark as to how long it takes to process your ESA form or even if they have received it I thought I ought to let them know. When I eventually got through to Jobcentre Plus the person I spoke to told me my form had been received and that it was currently with the new claims department.
I asked how long it takes to process a claim and he said the target is 14 working days from when they receive it, though they try to do it in 10, depending on how complex the information on the form is.
Bearing that in mind I asked if he could tell me when they had received my form the answer "No, I can just see that is on the system and with our new claims department."
He then went on to tell me that he would add a note to my claim that the date I now wasn't available was the 8th December although he though my claim would probably of been processed by then.
I was told that it looked like they were fairly on track with my claim although he couldn't say how far along it had progressed. He then said I would think you would hear something by the end of the week. That was last week and now a week after making the phone call I still haven't heard anything one way or the other.
I keep telling myself no news is good news but I don't know how long before I stop believing that. I get up every morning and dread the postman coming, when I hear the post come through the letterbox I feel physically sick until I've looked through it seen there is nothing there and I can breathe again. The days when I have no post are worse because I constantly on edge thinking have I got no post or is the postman running late.
Post has been today so I guess it wait and see what if anything tomorrow brings...
Panther is part of Campaigns Network
We're social, follow us!