DWP -Say no more?? You've got to laugh?(or cry)

[Plumbob]

After a ridiculous assessment through ATOS I was classified as 5% disabled (I have asbestosis & emphysema and now pensioned off through ill health) I appealed last year and still awaiting a date for my appeal?Yesterday a got a brown letter with DWP on it.Like a fool I thought ... oh good news inside... They said they have reassessed me and I am now 10% disabled and my new allowance is now a whopping £16.60p a week. Great news, I hear you say? But although my disablement assessment has doubled (which is still a farce at 10%) my actual allowance has gone DOWN by 2p a week !!! Work that one out? Hey -ho still awaiting my appeal date....You've got to laugh or go mad!!! Plumbob

[Offcut]

With ATOS looking to run away from ESA it is taking forever to get anything done. It seems they are using the drive by survey approach "If it looks OK from the outside it must be" As most of us know it is not the case. You mentioned asbestosis? Has this been confirmed and have you made a claim? From what I understand it is not an easy task to even get it confirmed I worked with that foul stuff for 10 years and some of the scans show what could be because of asbestos but they say it could be another thing which you cannot take to court? It has so far with me.

Good luck and keep on fighting.

[Plumbob in reply to Offcut]

Cheers offcut.. I have been told by 2 specialists & 3 consultants that I have asbestosis, but that is insufficient to prove I have it to the government they moved the goal posts in 2007? you basically have to prove you have had moderate exposure for a minimum of 5 years cumulatively (not just worked around it you will have had to bathe in it.) Unless you have mesothelioma then they pay out automatically.. Having pleura plaques (which I have as well as fibres in both lungs) is proof that you have had exposure to asbestos but insufficient to make a claim. However on that note I have been trying for a year to prove my case and hopefully should be able to find out if I can claim within the next couple of months...Fingers crossed ?? Plumbob

[Offcut in reply to Plumbob]

I was cutting on a circular saw with no mask

[Hidden]

Just to say good luck with it all! Don't understand your system at all,just glad ours seem to be a lot more straight forward!

Keep smiling,love Wendells xxx

[Hidden]

It's a mad world Plumbob, what's the point of them reassessing you to only give you less? Sending good wishes and hope you have better news soon. xx

[chrissie53]

Have to admit i know how you feel,,had dla turned down and on esa support /work group, after 2 yrs of fighting, yesterday i had my appeal in court heard,,and came out like the cat who got the cream,,so am now on the support group and they gave me 15 points just for mobility,,,it has been a long fight, but so happy with he outcome,,,

[cofdrop-UK]

That's crazy. Hope you have a much better outcome with your appeal hun. cx

[FarmerD]

I have just been refused a freedom pass after applying for a blue badge no mention of the blue badge,they even managed to get my first name wrong,calling me Davie instead of David.I hate being called Davey and never answer to it.The ironic thing is I have just found an old out of date freedom pass I had in 2004.I was lot fitter then,it doesn't make any sense.And surely "Davie" is a surname and Davey is the forename or am I just crazier than I thought?D.

[Plumbob]

Thanks to everyone for their good wishes and thoughts, I'm sure a lot of people out there are in similar situations !!! You've gotta grit your teeth and never let the B's ground you down !!!

Keep smiling ..Plumbob

[onamission]

I think things will stay the same this government and the one before them who set up Atos is allowed to get away with it if we keep lying down and letting them walk all over us we need to campaign