ESA50: can I send back the form and additional evidence in a larger envelope?

It's been almost 5 years since I've had to complete an ESA50 but I received one last week. I'm completing the computer version of the form and will also be including a number of documents. This will all be too big to fit into the envelope that has been included with the paper version of the ESA50 that I was sent. The last time I had to complete an ESA50 I sellotaped the envelope a larger plain envelope. It was received without any problem.

is it still possible to be able to do this? I notice the envelope has a Freepost address with a mail opening unit address in Wolverhampton (the type of address the DWP use, Mail Handling Site A, Wolverhampton etc). The last time I had to complete an ESA50 it was returned to a geographical address, the local Centre for Health and Disability Benefits office, which is the address that is on the accompanying letter that came with the ESA50.

I asked at the Post office if it was OK to sellotape the envelope to a larger plain one but i could tell she didn't really know the answer. She wassaying "it should be alright. I think it will get there" which is not the same as saying it will get there.

I'm tempted to send everything twice. Once with the envelope sellotaped to a larger plain envelope and another with the address wrote on a plain envelope. I have a printer so can easily print everything twice. I don't want to have to do this (I worry it could cause problems if two turn up) but need to know the first one will get there without any problems. Strangely the Freepost envelope still has a large 1 in the top right corner(presumably for 1st Class).

Thanks in advance for any help.

Gary wrote:

Hi Robbie We have heard on the forum other members doing the same thing. My only concern with using free post is that there is no post code on the envelope and therefore I believe that you maynot be able to send it by recorded delivery. I would contact ESA and ask for a postal address with Post Code so that you can send it by recorded delivery. Gary

Thanks for the reply.

There is a postcode on the envelope which makes the Freepost part a bit odd. Indeeed, if the address didn't include Freepost as the first line of the address it would look no different to any other post that is sent to the mail handling / opening centres that the DWP use. I'm assuming that the Centre for Health and Disability Assessments who deal with the ESA50 forms are using one of the mail opening centres to receive all their post.

However I was going to ask for a certificate of posting, which is free if I couldn't send it by Signed For.

Chris wrote:

Hi Robbie, You can still pay for a better service of postage, even if it is free, should you choose to do so. I've done this myself in the past. Regards, Chris.

Hi Chris. I was able to send it by 1st Class Signed For which gives me some peace of mind.