CCM7140 - Discrepancy Examinations: Claimant(s) does not respond to your letter

If you do not receive a response to your letter by the date specified, you should amend the award based on the revised figure of income details you have. Before taking this action you should always check to see whether the information has in fact been received in your office, but has not yet found its way to you. You should also consider whether there may be any circumstances preventing the claimant(s) replying (e.g. a known pattern of recurring illness; the likelihood that they may be temporarily absent abroad on holiday or visiting relatives). If you consider there may be a problem, you should allow extra time for a response, contacting the claimant(s) by phone if appropriate to remind them of the need to deal with your queries.

You may allow further time of up to two weeks or, exceptionally and with the approval of your manager, up to four weeks. You should make a note on TCW of your reasons for allowing extra time (see TCW Guidance).

You should write to the claimant(s) to tell them you will be amending the award, using the relevant option of the TC676 letter - see CCM21330. If the claim was made by a couple, you should send a copy of your letter to each member.