I used to work at the CSA and we could never get hold of the jobcentres or the benefit delivery centres (the call peole who actually make the payments) after 5. Some of my friends work in various jobcentres and I have known them to have to work till as late as 9pm on overtime but doing paperwork and suchlike. Most government phone lines stay open till 8 for incoming calls and sometimes the offices will stay open till 9 if people want to work that late, so it's possible, but highly unlikely, that someone would call you at that time. The numbers for the jobcentres are all avaialble via directgov and usually you will be signposted to the website or given the customer services number for that area. I agree it sounds fishy, but the policy is usuallly to make 3 attempts at a phonecall before following the query up with a letter, so ask your parents to keep an eye on their post,