ESA claim - phone or post?

Does anyone know how the claim process for ESA works when you first apply?

I've downloaded and filled in ESA1 form and I am planning to just send it in. But now I'm wondering if I should ring the claim line first. If I do - will they just end up sending me a ESA form to fill in and thereby waste another few days?

If you rang the claimline, an ESA1 would be filled out for you and sent to you to check, sign and return. Your claim would be dated to the day of the call.

If you send in the form yourself your claim will start on the day it is recieved.

PDA, I am reliably informed that the ESA1 asks when you want the claim to start, so it doesn't matter how you initiate the claim.