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DWP

Scotland

Escalation

Routes

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Communication and escalation routes for Benefit Centres, Jobcentre Districts, DWP & Partners

Key to delivery of service to our customer is a robust two way communication. Please use the following escalation routes to raise issues, discuss solutions and share good practices.

 All enquiries, in the first instance, should access DWP services through the normal telephony numbers i.e. 0345 604 3719, for text phone 0345 608 8551.

 These escalation points provided by DWP are to be used by Stakeholders / Partners in exceptional circumstances where urgent resolution is required.

 Escalation points are for the sole use of Stakeholders / Partners only and under no circumstances should they be shared any further, especially not to claimants.

 DWP will review these escalation points quarterly and will provide an updated version to reflect changes.

 Scotland is approaching full service rollout of Universal Credit. This edition includes the current approach we are deploying for the escalation of Universal Credit issues.

 DWP in Scotland now operate a centralised Complaints Resolution Team, full details of what and who they are can be found in this edition.

Please note that the escalation telephone numbers must not be issued to the public.

Contents

Benefit Centres Page 3 - 5

Universal Credit (Service Centre) Page 5 - 6

Jobcentre Offices; by District Page 6 - 11

Pension Centres Page 11

PIP Centre Page 12

ATOS Page 12

Scotland Complaint Resolution Team Page 13

Vulnerable Customers Page 14

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Benefit Centres (BC)

Aberdeen BC

Aberdeen Marianne ESA McLean/Jenny 01224 618142/01224 618155 Anderson ESA WCA Decision Marianne McLean 01224 618142 Makers ESA WCA Decision Marianne McLean 01224 618142 Makers Any official correspondence or complaints should be addressed to: Aberdeen Benefit Centre Mail Handling Site A Wolverhampton WV98 1PR

Bathgate BC

ESA Claims Jackie Mancini 01506 658838

ESA Maintenance Craig Masson 01506 772131

JSA Claims Maureen O’Hare 01506 772093

JSA Maintenance Barbara Anderson 01506 772164

Mortgages & Third Party Debbie Neal 01506 772073 Deductions

WCA Paul McIlhone 01506 772265

Any official correspondence or complaints should be addressed to: Bathgate Benefits Centre Mail Handling Site A Wolverhampton W98 1AN

Clydebank BC

JSA Thomas Devine 0141 951 3595

ESA New Claims Morag Craigie 0141 951 3167 ESA Changes Andrew Richmond 0141 951 3165 ESA WCA & DM Heather MacDonald 0141 951 6332

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John Hughes 0141 951 3105 Margaret Duncan 0141 207 1582

IS Dawn Kelly 0141 951 3124

EU (DM) Elaine Smith 0141 951 3571

Any official correspondence or complaints should be addressed to: Clydebank Benefit Centre Mail Handling Site A WOLVERHAMPTON WV98 1BL

Coatbridge Coatbridge Dispute Alan Sneddon 0123 650 2992 Resolution Team (DRT)

Dundee Dundee DRT Jackie Bernard 01382 315064

Greenock BC

ESA Claims Karen Lang 01475 881550

ESA Changes Mary Delussey 01475 881656

ESA Telephony Irene Kerr 01475 881569

Mortgages/Third Party Ann Shields 01475 499523

Any official correspondence or complaints should be addressed to: Greenock Benefit Centre Mail Handling Site A Wolverhampton WV98 1DJ

Inverness Inverness DRT Ann Gavin 01463 663517

Paisley Edith Lynch 0141 847 4157 ESA Claims Caroline Stewart 0141 847 4065

ESA Enquiries Fiona Napier 0141 847 4021

WCA DMs Gerry Gallagher 0141 847 4001

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Springburn Customer Service Lead Marie Anderson 01253 2385350

Universal Credit

Any issues requiring escalation, except housing matters raised by a social landlord, should be escalated with the relevant District Partnership Manager. Contact details are as follows:

DWP; Jobcentre District Partnership Manager; UC lead East, South East Scotland Tony McGoldrick [email protected] 0131 456 5138 Central Scotland Stuart Mitchell [email protected] 0141 800 3790 West Scotland Allan Clifford [email protected] 01475 495478 North Scotland Miranda Murray [email protected] 01463 663560

HOUSING ISSUES in UC Live Service areas only

Social Landlords and LAs can escalate “urgent” queries via a dedicated email inbox [email protected], and if they receive no reply, they can call a dedicated telephone number answered by the Housing Costs Team.

Firstly, the number should only be used in urgent cases requiring a response within 24 hours. Typically, this would involve someone being threatened with court action/eviction proceedings.

Prior to calling the service line Registered Social Landlords and LA’s will be required to complete the following process: 1. Only after completing the ‘business as usual’ process, phoning 0345 6000723 and not receiving a satisfactory outcome within the timescales, should Registered Social Landlords and LA’s call the new service line. 2. Any inappropriate calls will be redirected to the appropriate channel and investigated/analysed for root cause. 3. Please note: This facility is a temporary arrangement for use in the current UC Live Service and may not form a part of the Digital delivery of UC Full Service.

The housing escalation phone number is 0345 266 0041, for registered social landlord and local authority (LAs) with urgent “housing cost” enquiries. The line will not be available to private sector landlords. Under no circumstances should this number be given to claimants/tenants.

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Any official correspondence or complaints should be addressed to: Universal Credit Mail Handling Site B Wolverhampton WV99 1AJ

Local Jobcentres (JCP)

East & South East District (ESE)

Local Authority areas covered by JCP District: Clackmannanshire, East Lothian, Edinburgh City, Falkirk, Fife, Mid Lothian, Scottish Borders, Stirling, West Lothian Insert work area Insert name Insert contact details; phone number, email City Of Edinburgh Council Edinburg City Jobcentre Gillian MacDonald 0131 456 3353 High Riggs Jobcentre Mhairi Cowan 0131 456 4172 Leith Jobcentre Julie Marshall 0131 555 8177 Wester Hailes Jobcentre Joyce Stobie 0131 456 4365 East Lothian Council Musselburgh Jobcentre Graham King 0131 456 5155 Midlothian Council Dalkeith Jobcentre Stephen Glen 0131 456 4748 Penicuik Jobcentre Wendy Gillies 01968 623209 West Lothian Council Bathgate Jobcentre Jacqueline Neil 01506 772301 Broxburn Jobcentre Brian Haddow 01506 772880 Livingston Jobcentre Yvonne Robertson 01506 772623 Scottish Borders Council Eyemouth Jobcentre Catherine Drysdale 01450 403025 Galashiels Jobcentre Aileen McBrierty 01896 612404 Hawick Jobcentre Catherine Drysdale 01450 403025 Clackmannanshire Council Alloa Jobcentre Sean McCartney 01259 294007 Falkirk Council Falkirk Jobcentre Linda Savage 01324 505192 Grangemouth Jobcentre Sean McCartney 01324 508160 Fife Council Cowdenbeath Jobcentre Phil Martin 01383 315419 Cupar Jobcentre Rick Ring 01334 413704 Dunfermline Jobcentre Anne Dudzik 01383 813844 Glenrothes Jobcentre Elaine Eason 01592 253650 Kirkcaldy Jobcentre Debra Martin 01592 253223 Leven Jobcentre Robert McFarlane 01333 593531 St. Andrews Jobcentre Rick Ring 01334 413704 Stirling Council Stirling Jobcentre Katrina Small 01786 432603

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Central District

Local Authority areas covered by JCP District: East Dunbartonshire, Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire

Insert work Insert name Insert contact details: phone number, email area Airdrie Jim Hunter 01236 503428 [email protected] Anniesland Christine Bannatyne 0141 950 5190 [email protected] Bellshill Margaret Murphy 01698 484126 [email protected] Bellshill Kirsty Low 01698 484141 [email protected] Bridgeton Katrina Carr 0141 551 3131 [email protected] Bridgeton John Wilson 0141 551 3154 [email protected] Cambuslang Sandra McDowall 0141 800 6931 [email protected] Castlemilk Gail Craig 0141 800 3404 [email protected] Cumbernauld Nicky Carrick 01236 503226 [email protected] Cumbernauld Yvonne Bell 01236 503251 [email protected] Drumchapel Karen Currie 0141 800 2627 [email protected] Drumchapel Yvonne Currie 0141 800 2624 [email protected] Easterhouse Tony Ercolino 0141 800 6009 [email protected] East Kilbride Norma McCallum 01355 564331 [email protected] East Kilbride David Deanie 01355 564320 (Wed-Fri) [email protected] Govan Jean Miller 0141 800 6492 [email protected] Govan Kathryn Caldwell 0141 800 6609 [email protected] Govan Craig Bentley 0141 800 6455 [email protected] Hamilton Trefor Walker 01698 484046 [email protected] Hamilton Kenny Bell 01698 484049 [email protected] Kirkintilloch Evelyn Drain 0141 800 6227 [email protected]

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Lanark Andy Morrison 01555 554678 [email protected] Lanark Alasdair Macdonald 01555 554674 [email protected] Langside Emma Laird 0141 800 3103 [email protected] Langside Anne Butler 0141 800 3135 [email protected] Langside Stuart Ogden 0141 800 3121 [email protected] Laurieston Alan Smith 0141 800 3734 [email protected] Maryhill Derek Mason 0141 800 2464 [email protected] Motherwell Alistair Duncan 01698 483541 [email protected] Motherwell Patricia Sneddon 01698 483521 [email protected] Compliance Fraser Martin 0141 636 8145 [email protected] Newlands Fiona MacDonald 0141 636 8365 [email protected] Newlands Rosie Lambert 0141 636 8181 [email protected] Newlands Angela Brown 0141 636 8206 [email protected] Parkhead Tom Mellon 0141 800 3085 [email protected] Partick Alan Cuthill 0141 337 8060 [email protected] Rutherglen Pamela Duffy 0141 800 3808 [email protected] Shettleston Dougie Kay 0141 532 8656 [email protected] Springburn Lorraine Barrie 0141 241 7125 [email protected] Springburn Yvonne Brodie 0141 241 7035 [email protected]

North of Scotland District

Local Authority areas covered by JCP District: Orkney, Shetland, Dundee, Perth & Kinross, Angus, Highlands, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Western Isles, Moray Insert work Insert name Insert contact details; phone number, email area Aberdeen City Wendy Allan Telephone ~ 01224 802509 Manager [email protected]

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Arbroath Drew Mckelvie Telephone ~ 01241 446678 Manager [email protected] Banff Graham Smith Telephone ~ 01261 891003 Manager [email protected] Blairgowrie Karen Donaldson / Telephone ~ 01250 733201 / 01738 412914 Judith Alexander [email protected] Manager [email protected] Buckie Annona Catto Telephone ~ 01542 783822 Manager [email protected] Dingwall Neil Harris Telephone - 01349 812404 Manager [email protected] Dundee City Vicki Reilly Telephone ~ 01382 373339 Manager [email protected] Elgin Mandy McIntosh Telephone ~ 01343 528075 Manager [email protected] Forfar Dennis Low Telephone ~ 01307 452810 Manager [email protected] Forres Lynne Ross Telephone ~ 01309 542903 Manager [email protected] Fort William Elma Hall Telephone ~ 01349 812416 Manager [email protected] Fraserburgh Carol Morrison Telephone ~ 01779 428405 Manager [email protected] Invergordon Neil Harris Telephone - 01349 812380 Manager [email protected] Inverness Faye Armitstead Telephone – 01463 888115 Manager [email protected] Kirkwall Rhona Shearer Telephone ~ 01856 885307 Manager [email protected] Lerwick Leona Williamson Telephone ~ 01595 732006 Manager [email protected] Montrose Dennis Low Telephone ~ 01674 623930 Manager [email protected] Perth William Hynd Telephone ~ 01738 412961 Manager William.hynd @dwp.gsi.gov.uk Peterhead Carol Morrison Telephone ~ 01779 428405 Manager [email protected] Portree Elma Hall Telephone ~ 01349 812416 Manager [email protected] Stornoway Rosemary Telephone ~ 01851 763111 Robertson, [email protected] Manager Wick Treasa Hamilton Telephone ~ 01955 673291 Manager [email protected] The contact details below, covering the LA areas noted, can be utilised should the initial escalation point, detailed above, be unsuccessful. Aberdeen, Banff, Fraserburgh, Operations Manager – Roz Clunie Peterhead Telephone ~ 01224 804589 [email protected]

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Dundee City Operations Manager – Kirsty Craig Telephone ~ 01382 373344 [email protected] Dingwall, Fort William, Invergordon, Operations Manager – Alan MacGillivray Inverness, , Portree, Stornoway, Telephone ~ 01463 888171 Wick [email protected] Buckie, Elgin, Forres, Kirkwall, Operations Manager – Karen Johnstone Lerwick Telephone ~ 01856 885327 [email protected] Arbroath, Blairgowrie, Forfar, Operations Manager – Moira Cambridge Montrose, Perth Telephone ~ 07776 461821 [email protected]

West of Scotland District

Local Authority áreas covered by JCP District: Inverclyde, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, Argyll & Bute, West Dunbartonshire, Dumfries & Galloway, East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire Insert work Insert name Insert contact details: phone number, email area Alexandria Alison Martin 01389 823424 [email protected] Annan David Roy 01461 633016 [email protected] Ayr Anne Connor 01292 666141 [email protected] Barrhead Jane Edwards 0141 800 2196 [email protected] Campbeltown Keith Millar 01586 555404 [email protected] Clydebank Yvonne Melvin 0141 800 2721 [email protected] Cumnock Andrew Smyth 01290 306850 [email protected] Dumbarton Paul Donnelly 01389 736414 [email protected] Dumfries Trudi Calderwood 01387 223250 [email protected] Dunoon Angela Magee 01369 763204 [email protected] Girvan Elissa Goldie 01465 829003 [email protected] Greenock Mary MacKinnon 01475 495463 [email protected] Helensburgh John Hanna 01496 633003 [email protected] Irvine Valerie Holmes 01294 404257 [email protected]

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Johnstone Marion Boakes 01505 405716 [email protected] Kilbirnie Alison Festorazzi 01505 405907 [email protected] Kilmarnock Denise Cochrane 01563 506504 [email protected] Oban Ronnie Kelly 01631 569 342 [email protected] Paisley Shona Anderson 0141 800 2029 [email protected] Port Glasgow Frank Martin 01475 495306 [email protected] Renfrew Tom Graham 0141 800 6850 [email protected] Rothesay Julie Johnston 01700 895570 [email protected] Saltcoats Debbie Barr 01294 406061 [email protected] Stranraer Shona Agnew 01776 802717 [email protected]

Other DWP departments

Pension Centres

Motherwell Pension Jacqui Lynch, Pension Centre 01698 272807 Centre Liaison Officer (PCLO) Any official correspondence or complaints should be addressed to: Department for Work & Pensions Motherwell Pension Centre The Pension Service 5 Mail Handling Site A Wolverhampton WV98 1AH Dundee Pension Centre Lorna Convey; Pension Centre 01382 785321 Liaison Officer (PCLO) Any official correspondence or complaints should be addressed to: Department for Work & Pensions Dundee Pension Centre The Pension Service 3 Mail Handling Site A Wolverhampton WV98 1AF

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Personal Independence Payment (PIP) & Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

Useful contacts:  DLA Helpline -0345 712 3456  PIP Helpline -0345 850 3322  PIP New Claims - 0800 917 2222

For PIP complaints or  [email protected] enquiries  Telephone: 0161 882 4156,  FREEPOST RTEU-KLGY-TBEJ Personal Independence Payment 5 Mail Handling Site B Wolverhampton WV99 1AB

For PIP Reassessment  [email protected] or DLA complaints or  Customer Services enquiries DWP Benefits Directorate Benefits Centre 1 B203 Warbreck House Warbreck Hill Road Blackpool FY2 0ZE  3rd Party Hotline: 0845 900 0121 (for DLA only)

Atos; Assessment A T OS Issues with PIP claims when at assessment provider: providers for Personal Independence Payment  Tel – 0300 3300120 or (PIP)  Email – [email protected]  In writing – Client Relations, Atos Healthcare, PO Box 1006, Stockton-on-Tees, TS19 1UL

Further DWP Information can be found in following pages.

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Scotland Complaint Resolution Team

DWP Scotland Complaint Resolution Team

Our centralised Complaint Resolution Team for Jobcentre Plus in Scotland is based in the District Office, at Glasgow Laurieston Jobcentre, and consists of a Complaint Resolution Team Manager and Complaint Resolution Managers who deal with individual complaint cases through to resolution.

What is our definition of a complaint?

Our definition of a complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction with the service provided which was unable to be resolved by a jobcentre, benefit centre or contact centre, including the involvement of a team leader.

What if a claimant is unhappy with benefit legislation or policy?

If a claimant is unhappy with a policy or benefit legislation, the Complaint Resolution Team can only check that the policy or legislation was applied correctly. The correct course of action if a claimant is unhappy with a benefit decision is to ask the jobcentre, or benefit centre, to look at the decision again by asking for a mandatory reconsideration. If the claimant remains unhappy with the decision following a mandatory reconsideration, they can challenge the decision further through the appeals process by applying directly to Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service.

What if a claimant has a progress enquiry?

Claimants should telephone 0345 604 3719 to contact their jobcentre about jobcentre issues or telephone the Benefit Enquiry Line on 0345 608 8545 for any progress enquiry about benefit related issues. Alternatively, claimants should use the telephone contact number on any letters they receive if their enquiry concerns the information contained in the letter.

Scotland Complaint Resolution Team

Team Manager – Linda McGuire 0141 800 3782 Marie Reilly 0141 800 3781 Patricia Dillon 0141 800 3769 Evelyn McColl 0141 843 5517 Rachel Cockburn 0141 800 3784 Julie Mitchell 0141 843 5509 By email: [email protected]

Final reminder:

 The details in this document must NOT be given to the public.

 The numbers are for use by partner organisations when they have exhausted the normal contact channels with a requirement to escalate an issue on a claimant’s behalf.

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A useful prompt:

Vulnerable Customers

Description of Vulnerability for DWP purposes is:

“An individual who is identified as having complex needs and/or requires additional support to enable them to access DWP benefits and use our services”

Identification of Vulnerable Customers

When making a judgment about whether a customer is vulnerable communication is vitally important.

Vulnerability is not a static state associated with a particular circumstance or situation.

When communicating with the customer the following may be indications of vulnerability: • Are in distress; • Not understanding; • Are giving one word responses, for example ‘yes’ or ‘no’; • Are upset; • Are frustrated

The following personal factors can be associated with being vulnerable: • Mental health conditions; • Sensory impairments; • Drug or alcohol dependency or both; • Physical disabilities; • Learning disabilities; • Literacy Levels; • Language Skills; or • Difficulty in communicating

Whilst there may be many customers who fall into the categories, these circumstances and behaviours are associated with vulnerability and cases may be referred through the escalation route for customers who, due to their circumstances, require immediate assistance.

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