Cold Callers ESA
Posted , 5 users are following.
I have just had 2 people knock on my door asking if my son was home. They said they had called because my son had not a kept an appointment with Groundforce & they could report him to the DWP & his ESA could be stopped. My son has never been given an appointment with Groundforce but the person who he saw at the Job Centre on Friday did mention Groundforce & my son explained about his situation so the person said that she would not expect him to work for them. The 2 people who came to my door seemed to have the information about my son & they were from a company called Pro ? I can't remember what the second part of their company was called. Has anyone else ever experienced something like this? When they first knocked on my door & ask for my son I told them he was not at home. The woman said don't worry he is not in an trouble. What was that all about? I am feeling angry now & just wish I could remember where they had come from.
1 like, 11 replies
denise15811 Lilmem
Posted
I have not heard of "groundforce" before. With it also being a Sunday i'd be a little suspicious. Having said that if when your son went to the job centre on Friday and gorundforce was mentioned it could be legitimate. I'm guessing he's in the WRAG for ESA? If these callers were geniune and he didn't show up then his money could be sanctioned. With the WRAG you're sometimes asked to attend work focused interviews and work related activities and if you don't turn up and attend these your money could either be sanctioned or stopped. It would be this companies responsibility to report your son for failing to attend.
I would advice your son to ring DWP first thing tomorrow morning, they open at 8am.
Lilmem denise15811
Posted
Hi Denise, It was Groundwork not Groundforce. I am still in a state. My son claims JSA not ESA. My brain has gone walkabout today after the cold callers. They said my son had not attended an appointment with Groundwork & I told them that he did not have appointment. He was only at the DWP on Friday so if they had made him an appointment with Groundwork it could of only been made for yesterday. I do believe you are right in saying that it could be this company who are responsible to report my son for failing to attend. I also do know that my son was not given any appointments. My son did explain on Friday to the DWP that he has DVT in his leg & is unable to carry out any heavy work. They accepted this so why send the Gestapo out to my house on a Sunday?
sukes Lilmem
Posted
Hi Robert,
I've just googled and came up with Groundwork Work Programme, it say's that this is a Government initiative, which provides a co-ordinated package of personalised support for claimants who need more help looking for, and staying in work.
Why someone would call on a Sunday though, especially seeing as your son knew nothing about it until Friday, beats me. It makes me a bit suspicious.
Lilmem sukes
Posted
Hi Sukes, I wish I could remember the name of the company the 2 people were from. I know it was Pro something. I am livid now. I am wondering if the DWP have made an appointment for my son to go to Groundwork & not told me son about the appointment. Having said that he was only at the job centre on Friday so if they had made him an appointment it could of only been made on Friday for him to attend on Saturday. I would put nothing past this establishment to do this.
denise15811 Lilmem
Posted
Ok groundwork makes more sense lol I'm thinking that because this was mentioned on Friday then it's to do with that. You son does need to ring DWP first thing tomorrow because a sanction could possibly be the next thing to happen. If your son can't attend these activities then he will need to get a letter from his GP if he hasn't already done this. Job centre will most likely not take his word for it that he can't attend certain activities. I do believe that this is part of the JSA agreement. Hope he gets this sorted
SteV3 Lilmem
Posted
Hi Robert,
The only Groundforce I have heard of is a television series.
Experts spruce up the gardens of various homeowners.
Host: Alan Titchmarsh.
It's been running for years on TV, but I should hardly have thought they would be employing people, unless they are fully qualified landscape gardeners.
Regards,
Les.
Lilmem SteV3
Posted
sarah87162 Lilmem
Posted
If they are genuine they will be happy to do this, if not, forget them!!!
Lilmem sarah87162
Posted
denise15811 Lilmem
Posted
Hopefully by now your son will have rung the Job centre to find out what's going on. That sanction could still happen if the call yesterday was geniune.
Lilmem denise15811
Posted
We have tried to ring the job centre but keep getting passed from pillar to post. We more or less went round in a full circle & ended up talking to the first person we spoke to. My son is going to go to the job centre in the morning & hopefully be able to talk to someone who knows what is going on. We have literally been on the phone most of the day, only to be told we are not talking to the right department. Wouldn't it be nice if the departments at the DWP communicate with eachother? If you ask who you are talking to they will only ever give you a first name & you are lucky if you can get.