Still waiting for ATOS

[bluebell99]

I put my appeal in to ATOS back in May as I had been put into WRAG on the basis of a questionnaire only. My appeal is for the Support Group and I felt the tick box exercise did not enable me to discuss and describe my (many) conditions properly so I have appealed for a medical assessment to show the true extent.

I phoned ATOS this morning to be told they still hadn't looked at it. It's unbelievable, any other company would be fined or in the bankruptcy courts by now.

Even the e-mail the job centre lady sent in September to hurry things along has had no effect. I think I wasn't called because I also have Lupus which is one of the conditions like RA which means you don't have to have an assessment. My point is, if I have a condition which is bad enough not to be called, how come I have no part in how the decision is made to put me in WRAG.

The only saving grace is they have received all the additional medical evidence I have accumulated since May, and noted the job centre e-mail. If ATOS have not yet looked at it, how long will it be before either I have an assessment or the DWP give me their answer?

[Mazz64]

Hi. How long is a piece of string! it varies I think from place to place, I waited 15 months for one of my appeals and 12 months for another, that was for ESA, I got 0 points first time and 6 points at second assessment so had to appeal both. even having an assessment is no guarantee you will be put in the support group, so you maybe better off going to tribunal to be put in the support group, if the dwp reject your request to be moved from WRAG to support, then go to tribunal, you will be back paid any money they owe you.

ATOS won't be sacked as they work in favour of the DPW, until someone further up the ladder take them on and show what a waste of money they really are.

[BB1975]

Hi,

I had a medical in January and found out I'd been awarded 0 points in May. I am still waiting for a tribunal date and have been told they are taking well over 6 months to be heard in my area. I am a little concerned that you feel you would have had a better outcome if you had attended an assessment. From what I've been told and from what I've heard from others, who have failed their assessments, it actually can go against you if you attend as they will mark you down for being able to travel to the medical centre. At the time of my application and assessment my rheumatologist thought I also had lupus, although I now know I have fibromyalgia and sjogrens syndrome instead, which is a similar auto immune disease, but this certainly didn't make me immune from being called for assessment. When you have an ATOS assessment it is very much based on whether or not you can do certain things and you have to fulfil certain criteria known as descriptors. It is not based on what conditions you have rather on how your conditions affect your day to day life and your ability to work. People who have had limbs amputated or who are deaf or blind are being told they are fit for work. Which demonstrates how inaccurate the whole process is. I wish you luck but make sure you get advice from citizens advice or a welfare rights organisation before you attend your ATOS assessment (it's definitely not a medical!!) and make sure you take someone with you and that you have provided plenty of medical evidence!! However, I do think you would be better off going to a tribunal and appealing the decision to place you in the WRAG rather than seeking to be assessed by ATOS. Believe me their reputation is very much deserved!!! xx

[bluebell99]

Hi BB75

Thank you for your reply. I understand where you are coming from, but it is difficult not to feel unjustly marked out for WRAG without a definitive reason. My own marking of my form would suggest 35 points, even if I was being less generous I score the minimum for the Support group.

I thought you had to go for an appeal before a tribunal, once your appeal had failed. Have I got this wrong?

In my own mind I know I will fail because I have a working husband. It is less to do with your medical condition and more to do with the household finances.

I have seen this so often on the forum, your contribution based ESA lasts for 365 days then goes to income based. In one feel swoop the government does not pay out ESA ,they will pat themselves on the back and tell the country how efficient they have been and filtered out all the slackers. It is wrong, but I want to be assessed and go through every avenue before I contact Dispatches or Panorama with the true story.

[Dorothy1952]

Hi I am at the moment going through appeal. as I have Diabetes ,Asthma Atrithrites and excema I was examined in march and my appeal is not going to be heard till end of January