I have heard from two acquaintances that "some" Gov department are
cold calling and asking if they would answer a couple of questions to
see if the Gov can give them more money.
The usual checks by the pensioners verified they were genuine calls
and in both cases did not get any cash help.
Is this what our Gov are now doing?Are they so over manned they are
looking for work?

On 2 Nov, 15:22, Lon...@ezauza.com wrote:
> I have heard from two acquaintances that "some" Gov department are
> cold calling and asking if they would answer a couple of questions to
> see if the Gov can give them more money.
> The usual checks by the pensioners verified they were genuine calls
> and in both cases did not get any cash help.
> Is this what our Gov are now doing?Are they so over manned they are
> looking for work?

The calls were to check if they were eligible for Pension Credit.  As
this is means tested the DWP won't really know whether they will
qualify for PC until they ask about partners, savings and second
pensions, hence the calls.

I can assure you that the Pension Service has plenty of work however
the instruction from government is that they must actively promote PC
take-up regardless.  Some would say that's right but I do think it's
pushed a bit hard with the same customers getting called/visited over
and over gain during the last four and a half years.

Mike

On 2 Nov, 17:11, Mike 
wrote:
> On 2 Nov, 15:22, Lon...@ezauza.com wrote:
>
> > I have heard from two acquaintances that "some" Gov department are
> > cold calling and asking if they would answer a couple of questions to
> > see if the Gov can give them more money.
> > The usual checks by the pensioners verified they were genuine calls
> > and in both cases did not get any cash help.
> > Is this what our Gov are now doing?Are they so over manned they are
> > looking for work?
>
> The calls were to check if they were eligible for Pension Credit.  As
> this is means tested the DWP won't really know whether they will
> qualify for PC until they ask about partners, savings and second
> pensions, hence the calls.
>
> I can assure you that the Pension Service has plenty of work however
> the instruction from government is that they must actively promote PC
> take-up regardless.  Some would say that's right but I do think it's
> pushed a bit hard with the same customers getting called/visited over
> and over gain during the last four and a half years.
>
> Mike

The Pensions Credit Department seem to be very slack in doing
anything. I reported to them that I was doing some part time work. It
took them *seven* months to send me a form asking for more details. I
sent the form back three weeks ago, and I have to date not heard
anything from them. I still keep getting my payments though. Also it
took them over a year to register I had changed address. For some
obscure reason they thought the new address I had given them was just
a correspondence address! I couldn't quite figure that out.

On 17 Nov, 18:39, fido  wrote:
> On 2 Nov, 17:11, Mike 
> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On 2 Nov, 15:22, Lon...@ezauza.com wrote:
>
> > > I have heard from two acquaintances that "some" Gov department are
> > > cold calling and asking if they would answer a couple of questions to
> > > see if the Gov can give them more money.
> > > The usual checks by the pensioners verified they were genuine calls
> > > and in both cases did not get any cash help.
> > > Is this what our Gov are now doing?Are they so over manned they are
> > > looking for work?
>
> > The calls were to check if they were eligible for Pension Credit.  As
> > this is means tested the DWP won't really know whether they will
> > qualify for PC until they ask about partners, savings and second
> > pensions, hence the calls.
>
> > I can assure you that the Pension Service has plenty of work however
> > the instruction from government is that they must actively promote PC
> > take-up regardless.  Some would say that's right but I do think it's
> > pushed a bit hard with the same customers getting called/visited over
> > and over gain during the last four and a half years.
>
> > Mike
>
> The Pensions Credit Department seem to be very slack in doing
> anything. I reported to them that I was doing some part time work. It
> took them *seven* months to send me a form asking for more details. I
> sent the form back three weeks ago, and I have to date not heard
> anything from them. I still keep getting my payments though. Also it
> took them over a year to register I had changed address. For some
> obscure reason they thought the new address I had given them was just
> a correspondence address! I couldn't quite figure that out.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

No suprise there, every office is in theory only 3-4 wks behind with
pension credit work according to the statistics.  The reality is that
the simple things get done, a lot of stuff get's missed and the more
time consuming things don't get done for mths.

Management and processors focus on 'quick wins' as it's numbers not
quality or the importance of the work that is judged.  I have told
senior manager all the way up the line that this is folly 'till I'm
blue in the face and feel like stuck record.

Hard luck if you're a pensioner, but I fear it will get a lot worse.
By dec 2008 there will be 3 or four less pension centres and so fewer
people to do the work.  the DWP is pinning it's hopes on a new IT
system but as it sit atop the ones we have already and it doen't look
too promising I fear it'll all fall over.

Plus of course the PCS will almost certainly be striking over pay (we
were royally screwed this year), job losses, etc for some time.

TBH I turn up, meander through the day and go home and screw the work
and customers; if senior management don't give a $*%t why should I?

Mike