DWP Central Freedom of Information Team
Annex A
e-mail: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.
gov.uk
Our Ref: VTR 1270
28 March 2013
Annex A
Dear Mr Kumar,
Thank you for your Freedom of Information request dated 15 March 2013. In that request, you
asked:
i am writing in relation to sanctions which are imposed on
customers who are late for interviews/appointments.
Please can you provide the following information:
1. How late does a customer have to be in order to be reffered by
an advisor to a decision maker for a possible sanction?
2. How should the customers arrival time be recorded by the job
centre?
3. Does the customer have to be informed that they are late and
could possibly face a sanction?
4. Does the job centre advisor have to fill any forms regarding the
customers late arrival? if so please can you provide a template.
5. Does this form have to be signed by the customer?
6. if the form is imcomplete/incorrect can a decision maker still
make a decision to sanction the customer?
Please can you reference document/policies for your answers.
1. Referrals to a Decision Maker are only made when a claimant attends late, if they have
been issued with form ES19, for attending a previous appointment at the wrong time.
This form includes the time and date the claimant is next expected to attend the office
and if they are not present at that time, they are deemed as having failed to attend and
a referral is made to a Decision Maker. A copy of this form is attached.
2. The means by which they manage the claimants who are due to attend the office is
managed locally and therefore, will differ from office to office.
3. If a claimant attends for an appointment on the right day but at the wrong time, they are
reminded of the need to attend on time and the consequences of persistently attending
early or late and issued with form ES19. If they have already been issued with an
ES19, they would be deemed as having failed to attend the appointment and advised
that their benefit may be sanctioned.
4. The means by which they record the fact that a claimant has attended an appointment
at the wrong time is managed locally and will differ from office to office. There is not a
form used nationally therefore.
The information needed by the Decision Maker, including the claimant’s reason for
attending at the wrong time, is recorded electronically, as is the notification of the
decision to the claimant. Unfortunately, templates of these documents are not
available.
5. There is no requirement to sign any forms used in this situation.
6. The Decision Maker makes their decision, taken account of all accurate and complete
information available, including whether form ES19 was issued to the claimant and the
claimant’s reason for attending at the wrong time.
Yours sincerely,
DWP Central FoI Team
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Your right to complain under the Freedom of Information Act
If you are not happy with this response you may request an internal review by e-mailing freedom-of-information-
xxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xxx.xx or by writing to DWP, Central FoI Team, Caxton House, Tothill Street, SW1H 9NA. Any
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If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review you may apply directly to the Information
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