HELP PLEASE...ESA...

[bobajob]

I have a face to face interview with atos on tuesday just wondering if any one as gone through this as i do not know much about it all the help would be very helpfull and so much appreciated i have been on incapacity benefit for about 20 year's if any one can help i know the guy's on here will....thank you....BOB

[CandleLight]

Hi Bob, How stressful for you!! These ATOS medicals are a joke! Total waste of money and just another way of GOV trying to get people off benefits and back to work. Anyway rant over, what you need is to be prepared hey. Take along with you any recent medical letters you may have relating to your condition/s, also any medications you have been given on prescription. You will be sent to a local office where you will have an app with one of their medical advisers, its just like going to the doctors. You will firstly be asked questions relating to what you have said in your application for benefit. They will ask you to show then any medical letters you have brought with you and to show them you medications. Then you will be asked what your daily routine is like. This is so that they can asses how fit you are, getting about and mentally coping with daily living routines. All that relates to weather you are able to handle working. After this you will be given a short physical medical where they ask you to bend down, reach up, lay on couch and move legs etc. This only last for a few minutes. Don't worry as its quite a simple process. They won't tell you if you have passed it or not you will have to wait for DWP to write back to you. Good luck, Ang

[CandleLight in reply to CandleLight]

Also someone else had put this link on here regarding ATOS, take a look! blacktrianglecampaign.org/2...

[Dorothy1952 in reply to CandleLight]

I have had ATOS medical and it is designed to try and trip you up I showed them my medication in the boxes and when my result came back they said I handled my meds OK but I can't get them out of the packets to actually take them also said I could sit comfortable for a hour and I was only in twenty minutes I have arthritis in both knees base of spine and my hands also have asthma although my peak flow was very low did not give me any points for been breathless I have my appeal tribunal today hope judo better than me

[CandleLight in reply to Dorothy1952]

Hi Dorothy1952, I hope your tribunal went well. Yes unfortunately they seam to be denying everyone their rights at the moment when it comes to ATOS medicals, however there is a very successful tribunal rate. All anyone can to is fight for their rights. If you are entitled to it by law then you will win your case. Must be costing the gov a fortune paying out for atos and then all these tribunals. That will teach them to go employing a dodgy company to do medicals!!

[Dorothy1952 in reply to CandleLight]

My appeal went well on monday it went in my favour but was put in wrag group so what happens next I don't know x x

[CandleLight in reply to Dorothy1952]

Oh god, that happened to me, they will want you to attend work related groups. I didn't get that far, as i am a carer i was told i can claim income support and have now changed my claim. A friend of mine said if you turn up but are unwell they will say you can go home. They just need you to get there and if you are suffering 'i think it must be just like work', they won't expect you to stay. One thing after another. I think this is the courts way of playing safe. they don't want the GOV thinking they rant doing their job either by declaring everyone who comes through their doors as being sick. Congratulations anyway, at least you will have your back pay for a start!

[Dorothy1952 in reply to CandleLight]

Ho much is back pay I have been waiting nine months. For tribunal

[CandleLight in reply to Dorothy1952]

You should get the total weekly rate back dated to the start of your claim, this amount depends on weather they deduct money from it like personal pensions.

[Offcut]

I would suggest that you go with someone, wear slip on shoes not lace up and wear comfortable clothes do not go dressed to impress as this could go against you. As one of the people stated that you could sit for 1 hour. They always seem to be late seeing you so you have no option but to sit for long time, this does not mean that you are not in pain! I was asked to do things I could not do and when I stated that I was still told to do it. They cannot force you to do what you are incapable of doing.

I went to appeal as they had made no mention of my medical history and based my failure on me "Being able to lift an empty box off a shelf" at the appeal last year I was awarded under "exceptional circumstances regulations 29 and 35."

I hope all goes well

[mub40]

Hi

Make sure you have somebody with you.They can go into the medical with you.It goes against you if you go alone.I had over a 3 hour wait and was in agony.I took all my meds and copy of letters from doctor and occupational therapist.(I also sent a copy when I filled in the ESA form.My assessor didn't even look at them.I left them on his desk and at the end of the assessment he went to hand them back to me.I told him they were copies for him and to put them in my file!

[mub40]

Oops ! When I got my dreaded brown letter and had failed (surprise surprise).The assessor had said I attended the assessment alone!So read your letter very carefully and answer back every point they have made.Good luck

[fenbadger]

dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scot...

Link courtesy of pain_away. It's worth a read. I've had an ATOS appointment and felt an underlying hostility. I can't add much to what's already been said. Be honest and don't try to impress. For instance, in the waiting room choose a chair with arms so you can help push yourself up can be useful. Don't bring too much supporting documentation or you look organised. Cynical but true. Good luck. My best wishes are with you.

[Dorothy1952]

Hope your medical was a OK experience but don't give in if it goes wrong way I didn't and won my appeal on monday x x