DWP letter - ESA entitlement review / check?

Hi all,

I am receiving ESA in the Support Group. I was originally placed in the WRAG and moved to Support Group in Feb 2013 via a reconsideration after my MP became involved in my case.
I sent back my recent ESA50 for re-assessment in October last year as requested.

Today I received a letter from the DWP giving me a telephone appointment "to make sure you are receiving the right amount of ESA and to discuss your current circumstances". It says they will telephone me "to check that the information we are holding is still correct as it has been some time since we last reviewed your entitlement to ESA". They "will be asking for some details relating to your current circumstances, Savings and Investments and any private pensions / annuities and income".

I called JC+ to ask about it, and the lady on the phone checked my file and then told me it's just a routine check, not related to my re-assessment, nothing untoward and nothing to worry about, but I've never had a letter or a phone appointment like this before and I don't exactly trust what they say! Are these letters sent out regularly and are they really nothing to worry about? Obviously my circumstances haven't changed and I have no new income or money, my illness has not improved etc.

Also, the letter is signed by "LMCD" on behalf of the "FEPS Centre Manager". There's no explanation of what these acronyms mean and I couldn't find anything for them on Google. Does anyone know what these letters stand for? On the phone, the JC+ customer service person said the letter was from "compliance".

Thanks a lot!

Hi chocolat,

I haven't heard of thse interviews being carried out on the phone, perhaps one of the other mods can throw some light on it!

Mrs Hurtyback wrote: Hi chocolat,

I haven't heard of thse interviews being carried out on the phone, perhaps one of the other mods can throw some light on it!

On the phone, the JC+ person said that they used to do these appointments face to face with a home visit, but they no longer have time to do them that way and so they are now done over the phone.