MPs are often contacted by constituents as a last port of call in an urgent situation. Their issue often relates to other organisations such as local authorities, health trusts and citizen advice services. This example shows the case of Priyah, a parent of a child with a disability. Priyah has received a bill from the council that she has previously been exempt from paying.
She is unable to prove to the council that she is exempt from paying, and contacts her MP. She can contact her MP in different ways, but in this case attends the MP’s local surgery.
After the surgery visit, a caseworker in the MP’s team meets Priyah and together they agree how to move forward on the issue.
The caseworker manages the case with support from the MP, working with other organisations to resolve the case. This includes emails and correspondence and time waiting for a reply, which can take three weeks. These replies must be chased when other organisations fail to respond.
Once communication is received, the caseworker checks all the details until the case is resolved.
The caseworker then contacts Priyah to let her know the outcome. A record is kept of the case for future reference.
