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ICE; who watches the watchmen
I don’t even know where to stick this ridiculousness.
ICE complaint submitted mid October
Took them until 2nd of December to “accept it”.
And today they wrote to me to confirm that it “has been passed on to full investigation.”
But…currently they are looking at complaints accepted in January 2021.
I mean what is the use of that? None, I tell you. By the time they are able to investigate fully, which sound it may happen in December 2022, no one relevant will care or be even employed by DWP.
The client was treated so badly by people administering his UC claim, that it genuinely upset me, and I have been doing this job for nearly 20 years now. And it looks like ABSOLUTELY NO CONSEQUENCES will be delivered to those who were culpable.
Who funds ICE? Because they clearly do not have sufficient resources.
It is so frustrating that they also seem to have introduced a two tier approach - we complained and they sent us back a summary of the issues for us to confirm or otherwise the case would be closed?
“If I do not hear from you by 8 December 2021 I will close your case. Please let me know before this date if you need more time.”
I guess it is a way of meeting initial deadlines and also in hope that people give up, as my client did because as she felt they were trying all ways not to address her concerns. So a lot of wasted time for us too!
[ Edited: 12 Jan 2022 at 01:59 pm by roecab ]Oh I’ve had to confirm their “understanding” of the issue twice!
Fair enough, they need to filter our ineligible complaints, but it is hard not to think of it as a way to discourage some people from continuing.
ICE have always made DWP maladministration look pretty okay really. They are staggering, in every sense.
Having started this thread in January 2022, I am (NOT) proud to announce the final decision on my ICE complaint- 21 August 2023.
Absolutely not fit for purpose.
I mean the investigator did a brilliant job, broke down everything into details, demonstrated good understanding of the issue, etc etc.
3 out of 4 of my complaint planks upheld.
Its just…..no one cares any more.
Thousands of pounds wasted.
DWP aren’t EVER going to learn any lessons.
My client is no longer in receipt of Universal Credit. He was offered in total £400 compo dribbled out at various stages of a complaint.
So yeah, utter waste of time and money.
Is anyone gathering any social policy about it?
I find it much more effective to refer the matter through the client’s MP, usually after DWP have failed to respond to legitimate enquiries, then escalations, then complaints.
I usually refer the MP to the (still current, according to recent correspondence with Debt Management) 2014 Customer Charter, pointing out that failing to respond to queries in a timely fashion, and failing to give a clear explanation of their decisions is a clear breach of their own Customer Service Standards.
Have we ever found a case where they realised that they had Customer Service Standards?
Last one I had, I sent them a copy and was basically accused of having invented the document. Not sure they even understood the implications of what they were asserting.
“Yes, I work for a local authority and, as an expert forger, I forge DWP documents all the time.!”
Have we ever found a case where they realised that they had Customer Service Standards?
Last one I had, I sent them a copy and was basically accused of having invented the document. Not sure they even understood the implications of what they were asserting.
“Yes, I work for a local authority and, as an expert forger, I forge DWP documents all the time.!”
That is priceless, Mike!
So far, they have always, somewhat sheepishly, acknowledged the existence of the 2014 Charter. Although that is all too often followed by a catalogue of lame excuses for ignoring it. (“training issues”, “staff turnover”, etc, etc).
I write to MPs, ACSSLs and Ombudsmen, etc etc, but this time I chose to be stupid and follow DWP complaints process.
Mike, can you knock up a Customer Service Standard for ICE in your spare time?
I write to MPs, ACSSLs and Ombudsmen, etc etc, but this time I chose to be stupid and follow DWP complaints process.
Mike, can you knock up a Customer Service Standard for ICE in your spare time?
The assumption any of us have “spare time” :) Pfft.
I have used ICE twice. First time it was absolutely painful but actually quite useful.
By the time the second time arrived… it would take me half a day to describe how wholly wrong and utterly soul destroying for myself and the claimant every part of the experience and outcome was. I could equally summarise it with a four letter word and it wouldn’t begin with “g”. I would, in all seriousness, never put myself or a claimant through that ever again.