Premium Rate 0845 Telephone Numbers for Jobcentres

The request was partially successful.

Dear Department for Work and Pensions,

This FOI request concerns the usage of 0845 telephone numbers by the Jobcentre;

1, Why has the Jobcentre failed to stop using premium rate 0845 telephone numbers?

2, How much revenue was generated in 2010 by the Jobcentre forcing people claiming benefits to use premium rate 0845 telephone numbers, to contact the Jobcentre.

3, Why are Jobcentre staff refusing to provide callers with non-premium rate telephone numbers to contact the Jobcentre?

Yours faithfully,

Lee Johnson

DWP Adelphi Freedom-of-Information-Request, Department for Work and Pensions

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been received at the DWP Central FoI Team.

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do please contact us.

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DWP Adelphi Freedom-of-Information-Request, Department for Work and Pensions

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Johnson

Please see attached response to your FoI request.

Kind regards

DWP Central FoI Team

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Dear Department for Work and Pensions,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Department for Work and Pensions's handling of my FOI request 'Premium Rate 0845 Telephone Numbers for Jobcentres'.

I do not accept that the DWP does not receive any income from forcing callers to use an 0845 telephone number.

Your assurance regarding 0800 telephone numbers is noted, but you do not explain why all callers can't use an 0800 number. Nor do you explain why your staff are so reluctant to provide local telephone numbers to claimants.

Many people have telephone packages that provide unlimited free calls to local and national numbers. Why will you not provide a local or national telephone number that the 0845 call is routed to.

Your insistence that callers use 0845 telephone numbers is causing financial hardship to claimants, and is unacceptable.

Please reconsider your response on this issue.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/pr...

Yours faithfully,

Lee Johnson

DWP Adelphi Freedom-of-Information-Request, Department for Work and Pensions

This is an automated confirmation that your request for information has
been received at the DWP Central FoI Team.

We will forward your request to the relevant information owner within the
Department who will respond to you direct.

Should you also have any further queries in connection with this request
do please contact us.

For further information on the Freedom of Information Act within DWP
please click on the link below.

[1]http://www.dwp.gov.uk/freedom-of-informa...

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DWP Adelphi Freedom-of-Information-Request, Department for Work and Pensions

1 Attachment

Dear Lee Johnson

Please see attached response to your FoI request.

Kind regards

DWP Central FoI Team

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Dear DWP Adelphi Freedom-of-Information-Request,

Thank you for your reply on this FOI request.

In your response you state that staff will call back if requested, and, that callers will be provided with local Jobcentre telephone numbers if they ask for them.

I disagree; I have asked many times for the local Jobcentre telephone number. Some staff, in area or regional offices, willingly provide local Jobcentre telephone numbers when asked. But the same request to my local Jobcentre, and other local Jobcentre's, always results in the response; "No, we don't have any other telephone numbers apart from the 0845 number".

Your assurance is at odd's with the reality; Jobcentre staff routinely refuse to provide local telephone numbers.

Yours sincerely,

Lee Johnson

DWP Adelphi Freedom-of-Information-Request, Department for Work and Pensions

This is an automated confirmation that your request for information has
been received at the DWP Central FoI Team.

We will forward your request to the relevant information owner within the
Department who will respond to you direct.

Should you also have any further queries in connection with this request
do please contact us.

For further information on the Freedom of Information Act within DWP
please click on the link below.

[1]http://www.dwp.gov.uk/freedom-of-informa...

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References

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DWP Adelphi Freedom-of-Information-Request, Department for Work and Pensions

Dear Mr Johnson,

I am writing in response to your review request received on 1 September
2011. An internal review has been carried out by someone of a senior
grade than dealt with previously. I am now in a position to respond to
you.

Having concluded my review, I am satisfied that we responded correctly
to your original request for information and confirm that staff in local
Jobcentres were correct in not giving out local telephone numbers.
However, geographical numbers for personal advisers, who are based in
Jobcentre Plus offices, are given to customers with a live claim to
working age benefit. We will also offer to call back customers using
our 0800 or 0845 services, if asked or if concerns are raised over the
cost of the call.
I am sorry this is not the response you were looking for, but if you
have any queries about this letter please contact me quoting the
reference number above.
Yours sincerely,

DWP Central FoI Team

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Dear DWP Adelphi Freedom-of-Information-Request,

I repeat that this is not what I have encountered.

Local Jobcentre staff refuse to provide telephone nubers, and refuse to call back, or, if they do agree to call back, then no call is received.

I am closing this FOI requet, but you should take note that a number of mystry shoppers are going to be calling jobcentres in various locations in the UK to check and confirm your statements. The results of this will be provided to national newspapers, and MP's, together with copies of this FOI request.

I close with this simple question; Why can't you just give out the local telephone numbers?

Yours sincerely,

Lee Johnson

DWP Adelphi Freedom-of-Information-Request, Department for Work and Pensions

This is an automated confirmation that your request for information has
been received at the DWP Central FoI Team.

We will forward your request to the relevant information owner within the
Department who will respond to you direct. 

Should you also have any further queries in connection with this request
do please contact us.

For further information on the Freedom of Information Act within DWP
please click on the link below.

[1]http://www.dwp.gov.uk/freedom-of-informa...

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References

Visible links
1. http://www.dwp.gov.uk/freedom-of-informa...

DWP Adelphi Freedom-of-Information-Request, Department for Work and Pensions

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Johnson

Please see attached response to your FoI request

Kind regards

DWP Central FoI Team

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