Dwp examination

Examining ATOS

dwpexamination forum now available athttp://dwpexaminations.blacktrianglecampaign.org/phpBB3/

OK, lets take a look at what the evidence I have gathered says about the system used by ATOS Origin alleged “Doctors” to stop our benefits. If what the evidence is suggesting here is true, then our own Government needs to be held to book over this as it appears ATOS are not following their own administrative procedure.

 As far as I can tell, there are a series of standardised questions which the alleged “Doctor” is required to ask each claimant. These questions are allegedly standardised so there can be no argument about inconsistancies.1

 The questions have a set of standard answers, which the alleged “Doctor” can use as his answers.2 These questions are designed to (a) confuse you (b) embarrass you (c) are often repeated in a different format so you can actually contradict yourself, which may then be interpreted by the alleged “Doctor” as contradictory evidence.3

 Supplementary questions like ‘What kind of car do you drive?’, ‘do you go to restaurants, bars, clubs or the cinema/theatre?’ are not on the “official” list of questions and should not be asked if they are following a pre set administrative procedure. After all, we have already been asked how long we can sit or stand?

 The system appears to be designed to make examination easy for the alleged “Doctor”. Who has a standard set of answers he can use, which allow him to say without fear of contradiction that he gave the best possible answer he could to fit your present state of health. It also appears to be deliberately designed to give the client the least possible chance of fully answering a question and thus remaining on benefit4.

 You are not aware of the questions you are going to be asked, or of the points system used to determine your current state of health. Alleged “Doctors” also use hand written descriptions like ‘did not appear to have any difficulty sitting or rising from a chair’. ‘Did not appear to have any difficulty in removing or putting on his coat’.  None of which appear in that format on the “official” list of questions. This is simply other “observations” which further disallow your claim5.

 ATOS alleged “Doctors” appear to select items from you IB50 which can easily be challenged and appear to be ignoring glaringly obvious things like recent surgery, radiation treatment or the fact that some patients are recovering from serious trauma or mental health issues. How can this be a fair assessment of your current state of health? They can also ask questions, make observations and give ‘their’ opinion on whether you are telling the truth regardless of their level of expertise or area of specialism6.

 You are advised to give the alleged “Doctor” as much information as possible on your state of health so he understands your situation clearly. Evidence suggests that any information you give the alleged “Doctor” is totally ignored, an assumption is made, an answer selected from a list, and entered on your behalf by what now appears to be a hostile examiner. So there is a possibility any answer you give can be misinterpreted, resulting in your benefits being suspended7.

 You are advised to produce any Hospital or Doctors letters to support your claim. This evidence can not be requested by the alleged “Doctor” and must be volunteered by you. Having done so your evidence is then totally ignored as the alleged “Doctor” has already made it clear to you that he is interested only in your “present” state of health. In effect, this means he is not interested in what has happened in the past, rather how you feel on the time and day of your medical. Sounds a bit like the MOT drivers put their car through every year, doesn’t it8?

  1 See questions you may be asked.

 2 Not all of these pre set answers actually reflect the answer you give

 3 A deliberate ploy to “catch you out”. Can they actually ask questions outside those on the “official” list?

 4 Is this evidence of a “biased” test?

 5 Is this a valid argument for putting the questions and answers in the public domain so you know what to expect?

 6 Is this method of questioning designed to put you under extreme pressure, when you are already in a nerve wracking situation? Are they aware of the effect this would have on a person with serious mental health issues?

 7 The alleged Doctor could argue that a letter from a surgeon that is usually at least 6 months old (at the time of your ‘examination’) is not evidence you are still ill?

 8 This suggests that by using this disclaimer at the beginning of your ‘examination’, the alleged Doctor is telling you he is not interested in the past, so any evidence you produce from your specialist or GP can be considered out of date and therefore irrelevant.

 Your opinion please?

 I’ll be back

178 Comments »

  1. I went for a DWP pensions medical today to ascertain whether or not i can claim Industrial injuries disablement benefit.

    After looking through the pages on this sight and especially the scoring system i am now feeling rather worried as the doctor who examined me only asked me about my accident at my work and a couple of questions about my lack of movement and then she went straight on to the medical.

    I never saw the doctor ticking boxes but only saw her writing down my interpretation of events and once i put my clothes back on that was the end of the medical and she showed me the door.

    Would she tick all these boxes at the end of her shift or would she do them after i left.

    Very strange

    Comment by chris — October 19, 2009 @ 6:04 pm

  2. I have no idea! My personal experience involved the alleged “Doctor” spending most of the time looking at a computer screen and clicking on multiple choice answers. Anyone else experienced this form of “medical”? http://dwpexamination.myfreeforum.org/index.php?component=indexpage

    Comment by dwpexamination — October 20, 2009 @ 5:31 am

  3. To dwpexamination i have experianced that i scored 12 out of 15 & also lost my appeal
    i would like to know how long you have to wait before you can reclaim ESA
    coz i aint gunna stop until i’m on it.

    Thanks

    Simon

    Comment by Simon — February 24, 2010 @ 11:43 pm

  4. Cant answer that one Im afraid, have you started the apeals process?

    Comment by dwpexamination — March 2, 2010 @ 8:16 am

  5. HI EVERYBODY…Was just looking through an interesting site called “OUCH ! IT’S A DISABILITY THING” and get this…A guy who was working for the post office,was found unfit for work,by ATOS OCC,apparently this is the branch of ATOS that deals with the postal workers,he was advised to go on ESA,by ATOS OCC,which he did,he didn’t have any choice,a little later he recived notification to attend,an assesment for ESA with ATOS health care ( What a misnomer,ATOS healthcare )(ATOS Health dont care more like )He was found fit for work,and subsequently refused ESA…you couldn’t make it up for christ’s sake…CHEERS ALL DAVID.

    Comment by David — March 27, 2010 @ 8:48 pm

  6. Questions you may be asked ?

    How about the question David Blunket was asked by Laurie penny ( A journalist ) not to long ago.

    Could you tell me Mr Blunket, Why the welfare state is being contracted out to private companies, with the explicit purpose of forcing a million people who are sick, off from state benefits in order to save money ?.
    He stammered for a moment before claiming, em er the people who are attending compulsory medical assesments ” should be entitled to a choice of providers of this” service”.

    That is a blatant lie, and when it was pointed out to him, thats not true, he tried to baffle her with science and mumbo jumbo with the likes of, its not what you cant do, its what you can do, one of their pre-arranged stock mantras.

    Well Mr Blunket what can YOU DO ?, without half a dozen highly paid lackeys to help you ?, Zilch thats what you can do,
    everything needs to be read out to you, you need guidance to go anywhere, and you cant type or read, your hired help is doing it all for you, so then, will you assure every blind person you force in to work, gets the same help as you ?…NO !! Didn’t think so.

    Of all the top calibre people on the dole through no fault of their own, the Government could get to handle your job with ease, they had to pick a jobsworth charlatan like you to be our home secretary.

    Comment by David — April 18, 2010 @ 9:39 am

  7. I had an ATOS medical in 2008 just before they changed the name of the benefit to ESA, I am about to have another medical with ATOS in a couple of weeks, I had to alter it as it clashed with an MRI scan, the medical is now 2 days after the scan. The medical I had in 2008 which I assume would have been for IB the so called medical expert altered words and missed out words so what I had said read totally different, where I gave a time it would take me to do something, say wash-up, I said “it took me around 90 minutes to wash 4 cups 2 small plates and 2 or 3 knives as I had to keep sitting down and resting because of back pain, but when sitting down I would fall asleep, the doctor, or whatever you want to call her, wrote CAN DO THE WASHING-UP. When I mentioned muscle weakness she asked “What is heavy for you?” I replied “A 2.5kg bag of potato’s makes me sweat if I carry it more than couple of yards” she wrote CAN CARRY A SACK OF POTATO’S. Both answers altered so that anyone reading it could assume that I could wash up in the time it would take any normal healthy person and that I could possibly carry a 25kg sack of potato’s. when asked to take off the top half of my clothing, which took me over 5 minutes to take off a coat & shirt, she wrote basically that I was lying about any muscle weakness because I had some muscle tone. A few weeks after the medical I received a letter from the DWP saying I was fit for work, I appealed, at the tribunal were I was supposed to have a welfare rights worker with me, they never turned up, they said the tribunal would go ahead anyway. The first thing I mentioned about the report was that the majority of the answers in the report had been altered to look totally different to what I said, they didn’t seem interested and only wanted yes or no answers out of me with little or no explanation if they allowed me to explain they cut me off as soon as they thought the explanation wasn’t what they wanted to hear. They found me fit for work.

    The medical I am to have in a couple of weeks I have one daughter going with me and possibly the other as well, if they refuse to accept that both are going into the room with me then I am going to either say “they both come in with me or the medical is over now” or “If they both don’t come in with me then I record the whole medical on my phone”
    One thing about ATOS I am almost certain of is that they will not ask questions that will help you with a successful claim, unless all the questions will result in a successful claim. so if they ask me a question that I don’t think is relevant to my condition I will ask them how it is relevant to my condition.

    2 days after my release from hospital, were I spent over 1 month instead of the 5 days they said before I went in, I had an appointment with the neurosurgeons who performed the op and my son mentioned something that I hadn’t given a second thought to and that was that I would do things no matter what pain I was in or how much more pain it was causing me, I thought of pain as just a 4 letter word, and I realised how right he was, I would do things because they had to be done refusing to let the children do it or help as they should be doing what children do, having fun out with their friends.

    My condition consists of
    1. BACK PAIN (since mid 90′s)
    2. CONSTANT HEADACHES (as long as I can remember)
    3. MUSCLE WEAKNESS (as long as I can remember)
    4. AVM (since conception or just after birth)
    5. EPILEPSY (since 4yr old)
    6. SPEECH PROBLEMS (since March this year)

    I am sure those employed by ATOS to do the medicals do not have the slightest Idea what many of the conditions are and how they affect people. AVM’s affect people in many different ways some are only found after death but others may complain to GPS for years to be fobbed off with excuses.
    I am not looking forward to the medical and expect to be declared fit for work even though I cannot make it to the bus stop only a couple of hundred yards down the road.

    Comment by Dean — April 24, 2010 @ 3:43 pm

  8. Thanks for that, I am glad to see you are taking someone with you, thats always wise when dealing with ATOS. Get your Daughter to take notes, they will tell you that the notes will not be recognised as a true record of the events by courts or tribunals, but take them anyway, I am certain a clever Lawyer would make mincemeat of that statement. Dont be put off, be polite, make sure you are factually correct and take any supporting evidence of your disabilities you can. Please take note, the word of your family or companion will not be accepted as proof of disability for obvious reasons i.e. they are not medically qualified etc. Be truthful and give as much relevant information as you can, remember, they have not met you before and do not know your medical history. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress. Oh and ask the “Doctor” if they are recording your medical “interview”.

    Comment by dwpexamination — April 25, 2010 @ 1:03 pm

  9. I just looked at the suggested journey plan given by ATOS, the centre I am to be interrogated at is Pontefract and they suggest I use a combination of bus and walking, I believe that if anyone can do the first 2 parts of the journey plan then the rest of the the interrogation is just going through the motions has IMO they already think you are fit for work. Those first 2 parts of their suggested journey plan are

    1. a 5 minute walk to the bus stop (possibly the time it would take a fully fit person to cover)

    2. catch bus and sit for 27 minutes

    IMO that is enough for ATOS to write a report that a decision maker would say fit for work.

    Comment by Dean — April 30, 2010 @ 3:38 pm

  10. dwp as I cannot get out of the house without the help of family or hospital transport for appointments, the GP who saw me for my last med cert. said he didn’t think I was fit for any work because I was constantly shifting position in the chair and I was struggling to speak and needed help to get out of the chair with no arms, the GP said telephone work was out, cold calling or working in a call centre, because of my speech. I do have an appointment with the GP the day after the the interrogation, and with the surgeon who said I should have the operation done that IMO is the cause of my present problems 12 day after, so I may ask them how I get hold of copies of medical info they have about my condition, then if the decision maker says I am fit for work I will have some supporting evidence, I hope, the DWP are relying on people not knowing how to get hold of the info that will show their disabilities and make the claimant the winner.

    Comment by Dean — April 30, 2010 @ 4:30 pm

  11. this goes to all that think we people are scroungers!
    ive worked since i left school and had all the crap low paid jobs that many people dont want and at the age of 19 first damaged my back, i decided to go back to work which was all manual lifting work and was not provided with proper training as i was not in a union to apeal against it. at the age of 26 was in severe pain from lifting heavy duty manhole covers and was left unable to move for 3 weeks, i am now suffering the same problem at 27 and was told not to go back to work. i refused to listen and went back causing more damage as i dont like not working for my money but at the moment i dont have a chice. i dont claim all the perks as u would call it, i dont claim housing benefit or council tax benefit, i dont go to optition or dentist but i still cant work. so am i a scrounger? am i a lasy twat? i leave that for u to comment, i either claim or live on the streets. find out what people are like before you comment!!!

    Comment by karl hodder — May 13, 2010 @ 9:00 pm

  12. This is one of the main reasons for this blog, the plight of genuinely disabled people needs to be brought out into the light to show that most disability benefit claimants do so because they need help. There are many cases of people becoming disabled late in thier working lives, mainly due to the tpe of wrk they have done for many years. The myth that we are all scroungers is created by the television media and the press who constantly attack us every time a scrounger is caught. We are being tarred with the same brush and I am sick of it, hence the stance I am taking here.

    Comment by dwpexamination — May 13, 2010 @ 11:00 pm

  13. Also many people that fear they make have a disabling illness avoid any medical contact until they feel it is absolutely necessary for them to seek help. This is what I did and still do now, so there is very little on my visits to a GP or hospital, most of my contact came through the GP visiting the ex wife and asking how I was, and no more, so very little went on my medical records. So if you have had a condition from birth but it stays dormant in the majority of people with it for life with only a small percentage showing signs from mild to severe then these are the ones ATOS and the DWP will go after as fit for work, and IMO they will do this because
    (a) The person has avoided medical personnel so can say the condition started when first detected by medical personnel
    (b) If one of the conditions associated with the main condition is poor memory even writing something down to take with you may be of no help, you may forget it, and how can you confirm what is on the IB50 if someone filled it in for you and you have poor memory?
    (c) People with poor memory and little or no signs outwardly showing at the ATOS interrogation are an easy target as the interrogator and will use the words that it is their opinion.

    Comment by Dean — May 14, 2010 @ 12:22 pm

  14. Icould not understand what the doctor was saying as he was foreign.He ignored all my letters and medical notes.I HAVE WRITTEN A LETTER OF COMPLAINT to atos,and would urge others to complain about obvious bias in the way they deal with many people

    Comment by troutmask — May 20, 2010 @ 2:11 pm

  15. Excellent, dont forget to apeal if they sto your benefits.

    Comment by dwpexamination — May 21, 2010 @ 6:31 am

  16. I was in the middle of a search when I came across this, http://www.whywaitforever.com/dwpatoscontract.html , it is the contract between the DWP and ATOS, what I find a joke is that is this.

    #

    The medical assessment journey time exceeded the ninety minutes maximum allowed in the Contract.

    Breach of the Contract – Common Business Requirements Schedule 4 Section 4.1 Part 1 Final Version – 15 March 2005

    5.5 The CONTRACTOR shall ensure that any Claimant is not required to travel for more than ninety (90) minutes by public transport (single journey) for an examination, …

    Are they are only allowing the public transport part of the journey to be taken into account when they use the journey time in the contract but the suggested route normally BUS also includes walking but the times given for getting from one stop to the next without the use of public transport (WALKING) is given for a fully fit person, So immediately they are assuming you’re fit and healthy, the suggested 74 minute route for the BUS would including walking have taken me well over 2 hours

    Comment by Dean — June 10, 2010 @ 2:48 pm

  17. I went to yet another medical examination last month. This time for ESA.
    Took my daughter, a graduated journalist ex-student with me.
    Somehow, 2 weeks later, the DWP reached a decision about my DLA through this exam… I’d asked for a reconsideration, then appealed (but they’d not received my appeal…?)- the DLA claim goes back to 2008, when they asked for my DLA to be renewed. > I was receiving DLA for a year, without a medical examintion! Wow, huh?
    Finally reached a decision re: my claim for ESA (made last May 2009) and now I’m appealing once again. Only about their decision about DLA… I was awarded ESA… but they’ve taken what money they owe me away – saying they’d overpaid me when I was receiving DLA!!!

    Comment by Franka — June 16, 2010 @ 10:30 am

  18. I have an app on the 22nd of July with this Atos thing, I had one in Ianuary where threy said i was fit for work after being on incapacity benefit for 10 years with severe arthritis. I had to sign on to ESA saying that my condition has worsened so they have sent me for this examination now . I am appealing against the deecision in January so if they dont sign me off on this one it,s going to be farcical. i am retirement age next year. i,ts allmaking me ill, i havent had a penny since January. even though i have an appeal in . Dave

    Comment by Anonymous — July 8, 2010 @ 9:07 pm

  19. Be sure to have a witness with you… and let them take notes.
    Time the exact time of arrival and the waiting time… then the same for the examination.
    ATOS lie and say you were seen upon arrival and that the whole examination took twice as long.
    Be sure to note this.
    Appeal by stating the whole experience, notwithstanding the fact that for 10 years you have been entitled to Incapacity Benefit… so what’s changed, huh?
    Long standing illnesses and diseases are incurable, costing the NHS millions a week to treat. This is just another circle the DWP want us to go round and round in, before we spin out of control.
    Demand your rights.
    We, as a free country have more rights than many countries… exercise them.
    I might sound bitter or even angry, but heck, I’ve begged for crisis loans and sold my furniture because these bastards have refused to pay me a single penny!
    Let me rant… it’s my right to do so.

    Comment by Franka — July 8, 2010 @ 10:48 pm

  20. Thats what the blog and the forum are here for, go ahead, get it off yur chest.

    Comment by dwpexamination — July 9, 2010 @ 7:16 am

  21. Thank you dwpex. :)
    I feel better for letting it out on here… though sometimes regret my fowl wordings aimed at nasty people trying to wind me up. LOL!
    The thing is, the ATOS examiners aren’t doctors. The DWP even say this… they’re referred to as examiners and/or professionals – not doctors.
    I asked one if they had all my illnesses and disabilities and were seen by an examiner such as themselves to determine whether or not they should be entitled to benefits, would they allow it? Would they allow an inexperienced professional to tick a “NO” box, huh? She replied that she had insurance and a well-off family and it would never come to her having to claim money from the government and tax payers!
    Yeah… well-off. Well paid I say.
    Mind you, she was Spanish…
    I wrote on my appeal letters that I endured the examination, under protest.
    My doctors have proved I am not fit for work. I have too many health conditions. Besides, what employer is willing to insure me, huh? Allowing the fact that some days I have an okay day – one where I don’t vomit constantly or need the loo 24/7. Or that I don’t collapse, can get out of bed unaided… taking me at least 10 minutes and another 30 just to get dressed… swallowing a load of medication – just to be able to get through a few hours of normality, and the next day can be a thousand times worse! Then theres my back, neck, leg and arms… constant agony – I can’t even sit for too long!
    I can’t have an operation for my spinal problems as the only one available is to sever the nerves and putting me in a wheelchair for life – dead from the chin down, and who’d want that, huh? Not me!
    I refused chemo after a 3 week trial – where I was vomiting blood repeatedly after each session, lasting for up to 6 days… then the torture began again the following day… so opted for natural therapies. Then to be diagnosed with Crohn’s disease! Because of that, they seem to think that everything I suffer from is bareable and not as serious as it could be! ARGH!
    I’d wish all my illnesses and agony on them, for a day, just to see how they’d cope!
    It’s true, I am strong and can cope. But I need an income… money to live on, and don’t have a thing left of value to sell in my home.
    I don’t have a family, well-off or not that I can turn to… just me and my 2 kids.
    My son, who’s 17 had to study part-time last year because he had to take care of me… resulting in no child benefit, no EMA and a long hard fight to get child tax credits – otherwise he’d have had to sign on for Job Seekers Allowance and go through Gestapo interrogations, which somehow the DWP did not want to happen, hmm. This year he’s off to college.
    I am now fighting for child benefit. My son is and was in a full time course… he just couldn’t attend and under such circumstances as ours, he is entitled to child benefit.
    > Another load off my chest. * PHEW* ;)

    Comment by Franka — July 9, 2010 @ 9:58 am

  22. ATOS know that employing people who have a biased view of benefit claimants is to thier advantage, thats why they do it. They also know that by giving thier employees the title of “Healthcare Professional”,
    which panders to thier narcisisitic need for power and self importance ensures they attract the right kind of person to the job. No self respecting Doctor would work for them, thats why they employ wannabe’s. as for your “Doctors” comments “she had insurance and a well-off family and it would never come to her having to claim money from the government and tax payers!” well, that says a lot, by saying this she is looking down at you, and obviously has it in for benefit claimants. My question is “Why isnt she working in Spain”.

    Comment by dwpexamination — July 12, 2010 @ 6:31 am

  23. As immediately as this doctor came to the door… and pronounced my name as it ought to be prnounced, I thought
    See, my surname’s unusual too. LOL!
    As we talked, I understood very little of her English, and she kept telling me to speak more slowly. I did not!
    It’s not my problem she came to the UK for a better wage, innit?
    I finally received my medical report today – 2 months later and after 4 requests and one demand.
    The professional lied with every physical test… and there were just 3. Okay, 4… if you count the eye test. Ha!
    I can’t turn my head to the left all the way… can move it slowly, in agony about a couple of inches… and she wrote I can turn my head both ways without problems.
    I couldn’t bend down more than a couple of inches either… and that was holding onto the desk… but she wrote I crouched down and got up again without any problems!
    I had to climb onto a bed… 3 ft from the floor with a small step to assist me, and my daughter helping me on to the bed… yet she wrote down I had no help and did it without any difficulties – on and off!!!
    Perhaps her English isn’t good.
    Perhaps she writes funny… took her less than 10 minutes to compile the document.
    Perhaps her numbers are spelt wrong too… my examination took less than she says it did.
    Atos professionals are dishonest, inhumane individuals who maybe have some kind of medicinal studies, but have not the PHD. So are bitter freaks who’ll do anything for a living.
    >> My opinion, not actual fact.
    I alarmed her when I spoke Spanish at the end of the session… and then my daughter threw in that I speak 7 languages fluently, but all together 11! Yup, she gasped!
    Look down at me…? yeah right! I’m taller than her, even after an inch plus loss due to my spinal problems! I put her back in her place and added that my little girl (whom dick thought was the 17yr old kid…) was in fact a 23 year old journalst and creative writer. Ha, ha, ha!!
    I beleive we are all born free and equal… but sometimes rights have to be expressed sarcastically for the effect to be powerfully noted.
    My daughter’s twice as bad. ;)

    Comment by Franka — July 12, 2010 @ 5:09 pm

  24. * first sentence> omitted “foreign dick” :0

    Comment by Franka — July 12, 2010 @ 5:11 pm

  25. Now now, play nice…..

    Comment by dwpexamination — July 13, 2010 @ 5:52 pm

  26. dick as in doc(tor)… ;)

    Comment by Franka — July 13, 2010 @ 7:19 pm

  27. The HCP turned down my hospital letters etc I had offered to her, she said she did not need them as she had fully documented everything. When I got my ESA85 there was not full documentation and I did not know at the time it was my right for her to take a copy of these or take the copies I had and place them with the ESA85 for the DM when he looked at my file-of course I had my ESA stopped and I was due major surgery within weeks -amazing the Higher Tier say there was no problem with her saying a back to work in three months for me as i had not had my operation yet!!!! So why is there a section in the IB/ESA50 asking you are you having surgery within three months -JCP say they have done nothing wrong, bascially the DM took the proper decsion????I was left without money and my children for over a month they messed up my appeals I ended up sending in four appeals and they lost my Med3 and based not payning me on this as they had no medical evidence(they admit they had a copy of my Med3 though and only told me nearly a month later they did not haev the Med3 I had sent-they also had my letter of surgery and discharge they still did not pay me. They made my life hell I am at teh stages of ICE now and has been three months just to get my complaints withthem esablished as they would not respond to my emails and other nasty little things they did like blocking my emails-had to get Ombudsman to have a word with them GOD HELP ME this is never ending.

    Comment by KQ — August 20, 2010 @ 7:07 am

  28. Dont give up, thats why its taking so long, they think you will get sick and go away. Keep on grinding them down.

    Comment by dwpexamination — August 20, 2010 @ 7:23 am

  29. Hi I fully agree with everything in this article. I have started a petition on my own site regarding the DWP/Atos Work Capability Assessment and hope to get a few people on board and then raise an action in court. Im willing to fight as long as I have to to see this legislation changed or completely abolished!

    You can see the petition via my website link. I have also started a thread regarding this on the Consumer Action Group forums.

    http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?275046-ESA-and-Atos!-A-legal-case-for-violation-of-human-rights-%282-Viewing%29-nbsp

    Comment by Carolyn Cameron — August 29, 2010 @ 3:45 pm

  30. ARE YOU HAVING TROUBLE WITH OUR CORRUPT DISABILITY BENEFITS SYSTEM AND OBTAINING YOUR RIGHTFUL BENEFITS?
    I am a benefit/welfare advisor and have 12yrs experience of going loggerheads with the ministry of justice (appeals system).
    I am totally fed up of extremely retired drs working for DWP as EMP’s and sitting on tribunals. Some are almost 80yrs.
    I have concrete proof that paperwork sent in for claims even by next day delivery is removed from your file and no record showing. This happened recently to one of my clients. I received a call re an email I had sent asking what I was on about as there was nothing in my clients file relating to what I had asked.
    I told the gentleman I had the proof as did my client and within 2mins it was emailed to him. He immediately put me in touch with upper tribunals.
    Anyone having trouble obtaining disability benefits who are a genuine disabled person I am willing to advice and assist.
    I am very experienced re our ridiculous system and want to shake up the system in our favour by stopping what is going on and to prevent the antiquated drs being allowed to make these decisions as to whether disabled or not. They are so out of date and their judgement poor.
    One of the local EMP’s in North Dorset wrote to our local rag admitting he turned down everyone with a bad back as he could’t tell the genuine from the fakers who make it so difficult for genuine claimants.
    To get in touch for assistance go to my wall on Facebook. I love the challenge of fighting the system and am a specialist in rare illness claims.
    I will help word the form by telephone and make sure you get everything you are entitled to. I don’t lose at appeal as my cases are always concrete.
    I have several landmark/contraversial cases in the system. One is open and shut and if had been any other office would have been awarded max for life. It is still in the system 2yrs later and extremely contraversail due to the directive of the panel dr stating my client who has a rare bladder disease had to be interviewed on her commode. I have the proof. As it’s open and shut I asked for a decision re the claim and it was with the district judge for well over 3 mths. The judge eventually listed it for urgent hearing in June, but was adjourned yet again, this time as no wheelchair access to the court room.
    They have booked a double slot on 30th Sept as before and are bringing in their expert dr wise.
    I do this as voluntarily and do expect the client to pay for any calls and postage costs. I am severely disabled and have 7 rare illness’s myself which I diagnosed in myself and others.

    Comment by Mo Fifield — August 29, 2010 @ 4:34 pm

  31. I was poisoned with 2,4,D Diclorophenol which is a pesticide used in agriculture , i was an inoccent bystander walking my dog in the country , i fell ill with severe symptoms shaking.hair loss,vertigo,dizziness,headaches,nausea,reversed sleep,anxiety,pain.endocrine disruption the list goes on .This as caused ME/CFS and fibromyaslgia , i have been denied sickness benefit since July 09 I AM STILL FIGHTING THIS !! tHE atos told blatan lies on the information and deemed me fit for work ???

    Comment by Gillian — August 29, 2010 @ 11:21 pm

  32. I read this blog with great interest as I am having similar problems with the ESA nightmare. I suffer from peripheral neuropathy which is a fluctuating disease whereby sometimes I feel o.k and others I cannot walk due to the pain in my legs and feet and the pain in my arms and hands. I applied for ESA a couple of years ago and failed although my GP had written me a sick note for a year. I appealed but was not succesful. I clamed JSA and was told I had to attend working links weekly. After two weeks my personal advisor said I should not be on JSA and I should claim ESA due to my inability to undertake basic activities when I am ill.

    I have now started a second claim for ESA but I a not holding out much hope. The JCP advisors say I cannot sign on as I would be illegally stating I am capable of working and if I fail this second assessment I will be unable to claim ESA as they say I am fit for work. They do not seem to make any allowances for fluctuating illnesses. As my personal advisor said what employer would employ me if I could only work one or two days a week or then maybe three weeks off for pain. I seem to be placed between two different agencies and I am at my wits end. They have taken no interest in my medical reports or my neurological specialist. I would be grateful for any help or advice from anyone for when I attend my so call medical.

    Comment by rosey — August 30, 2010 @ 12:49 am

  33. After my visit to the pathways advisor last week were I took 2 hospital letters (copies) one stating that I had done exactly what happened in the pathways place I fell asleep on sitting down. My daughter was told I should be in the support group but she would have to have a word with her supervisor and they were not in that day. It seems ATOS and the DWP will do anything to save a few pounds.

    rosey you should have got what the advisor to be put on headed paper and to be signed by them, if you have no money or savings then have you tried applying for INCOME SUPPORT?

    Income support is a means tested benefit for people under women’s pension age that brings your income up to a minimum level, depending upon your age and circumstances. Usually you cannot get income support if you (or you and your partner if you have one) have more than £16,000 in savings.

    You can only get income support in certain circumstances, including where you are:

    * a lone parent whose youngest child is aged under 10 (under 7 from October 2010)
    * caring for someone who either gets attendance allowance, or the middle or higher rates of disability living allowance care component
    * incapable of work and first made your claim before 27 October 2008
    * entitled to a means tested benefit to top up your statutory sick pay

    Comment by Dean — August 30, 2010 @ 2:05 pm

  34. HAS ANY ONE HAD ANY EXPERIENCE OF A (DOCTOR?)JONATHAN LYDON ?OR SIMILAR,THIS IS THE “PERSON” WHO HAS CAUSED ME MORE GRIEF THAN ANY ONE IVE EVER MET!I CONTACTED ATOS ABOUT THIS CLOWN AND BEFORE I HAD GOT HIS NAME OUT (THIS WAS AT RECEPTION)I WAS TOLD HE DONT “WORK” FOR US ANY MORE?I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW A BIT MORE ABOUT THIS ARSE-HOLE,IS HE STILL IN ACTION? OTHERS MUST HAVE MET THIS PRICK.

    Comment by philip — November 28, 2010 @ 5:53 pm

  35. Are you sure of the name as the GMC register shows no one registered with that name using just the SURNAME reveals only 2 entries one registered in 1943 the other registered in 1946 that would make both of the around 85 to 90 years old unless he isn’t a doctor but registered with some other medical body

    Comment by Dean — November 28, 2010 @ 11:17 pm

  36. Using the sounds like option throws up this, should have used this last night but forgot

    3275625
    Given Names Jonathan David
    Surname Louden
    Gender Man
    Status Registered with a licence to practise; this doctor is on the Specialist Register

    More Details
    Primary Medical Qualification

    BM 1991 University of Southampton
    Provisional Registration Date 03 Jul 1991
    Full Registration Date 01 Aug 1992

    Specialist Register entry date

    General (internal) medicine From 19 Mar 2007
    Renal medicine From 19 Mar 2007

    GP Register entry date This doctor is not on the GP Register

    Comment by Dean — November 29, 2010 @ 9:20 am

  37. hi i was ment to go for an interview today,but they rang me up and said system was down? is this normal?im suffering with a disclocated knee.

    Comment by l cooke — December 13, 2010 @ 2:43 pm

  38. I’ve just got a date for my “medical examination” Jan 12th…. I will be greatfull if anyone could tell me which benefits they can stop… I get DLA, Income support & Incap…. Also can I take a dictaphone into my examination incase they deem me fit for work & I need to appeal….

    Comment by Marc — December 29, 2010 @ 3:29 pm

  39. I have heard that the Dwp sometimes use what they like to call, other information, from what I gather it is the information they hold from previous interrogations or forms they have sent out for claimants to fill in. Personally I would use a subject access request to get hold of all this information if you do not have a copy, it won’t help you with your present medical but may be of use for filling in future forms or if you have to appeal the decision of this interrogation.

    Comment by Dean — December 29, 2010 @ 11:45 pm

  40. ATOS do not allow recordings, better to take someone with you to take notes, they hate it when we do tha. They will try to tell you your notes will not be accepted as a true account of the examination and can not be used at tribunals, carry on and do so though, its your legal right. I have roduced an assessment form on the assessing atos page of this blog which you can fill in, it will serve to remind you of the events on the day should you have to make an appeal. If your benefits are stopped I urge you to appeal as over 40% of cases reaching tribunals are found in favour of the appellant. ATOS need to be stopped and that is why this blog and our sister forum exists. You can find further information and templates on our sister forum at http://dwpexaminations.blacktrianglecampaign.org/phpBB3/ its free to join and you will find many people in a similar situation to yourself.

    Comment by dwpexamination — December 30, 2010 @ 4:17 pm

  41. I recommend you do, we should all appeal against any bad decision made by ATOS, also complain about any form of abuse or poor practice by thier HCP’s. Always amke an FOI or subject access request too. It is essential we hit them where it hurts most, and that is in the profit margine which we can drasticly reduce by appealing, making FOI or SA requests and complaining. You can find further information and templates on our sister forum at http://dwpexaminations.blacktrianglecampaign.org/phpBB3/ its free to join and you will find many people in a similar situation to yourself.

    Comment by dwpexamination — December 30, 2010 @ 4:20 pm

  42. I have an assesment due in the next month and after reading this site I’m now really worried. I’ve been off work for 8 months with chronic pain following an operation. It’s been diagnosed as neuropathic pain due to nerve injury and I am in constant pain with my stomach and back. I’m on morphine daily and a cocktail of other medicines, I have all med history including all the consultant letters and a&e discharge notes but as my condition isn’t visible and can vary from me being bed ridden to being able to walk around the garden I guess they will find I’m fit for work.

    My life is hard enough as it is, I’ve lost my wage, still have to support my children and I’m isolated, depressed and have been suicidal. Is there anything I can take with me or do to state my case clearer?

    Comment by Adam — April 1, 2011 @ 9:58 am

  43. Hello Adam.

    Take all your consulatants letters etc to the assessment, let them photo-copy them, on no account hand over originals.
    Make sure you get across to the HCP that the DWP decision maker should be sent a copy along with your ESA 85 medical report.
    If you dont insist on this, then they will not bother sending them to the DWP, and that gives the DWP an excuse to write on a letter to you that you only supplied an ESA 50 etc.
    This is one of their nasty tricks, the implication they are trying to get across is you did not show any medical evidence at your assessment.
    For more advice go to the forum below, and meet and discuss with the DWP/ATOS dirty tricks experts in confidence..!!

    http://dwpexaminations.blacktrianglecampaign.org/phpBB3/

    Comment by dwpexamination — April 1, 2011 @ 2:18 pm

  44. Think that link should have been

    http://dwpexaminations.blacktrianglecampaign.org/phpBB3/
    Also we have our website http://dlahelpgroup.com

    Comment by ians12 — April 4, 2011 @ 8:58 am

  45. Ensure you obtain the doctors GMC number. Ask him whether he is familiar with the GMC booklet ‘Duties of a Doctor’. If he will not give his GMC number then ask to meet his line manager, any doctor examining a patient must be prepared to divulge this information. For any patient attending a DWP assessment, a full history and examination MUST be performed, latest GMC guidelines, failure to do so is in breach of ‘Duties of a Doctor’. IF doctor refuses there are grounds a) for appeal to tribunal b) to initiate Fitness to Practice Proceedings with GMC. INform ATOS doctor of these salient facts and it will do wonders for his clarity of thought.
    ( Twenty years of GMC experience)

    Comment by Maddoc Martin — April 5, 2011 @ 9:24 am

  46. [...] To give you an idea of the type of experience disabled people go through at an Atos assessment, have a read of this website http://dwpexaminations.blacktrianglecampaign.org/phpBB3/

    Pingback by Letter to Steve Cram to reconsider his role as Atos Ambassador » DPAC — May 31, 2011 @ 6:02 pm

  47. hi wondering any one can he help iv surverd mental health problems and atended special needs schools from the age of ten im now at a point in life i dont feel i can go out alone without been in panicks i have reading and writeing problems allso i turned to drink for over 4 years that realy was a very bad time for me i found my self feeling so low at times it was the only way i felt i could be out but becuse of the drink i became agreesive and very agitated to the point i had to leave my family my wife and kids iv now stoped drinking for the last 3 months but now im back to feeling i cant go out alone and scared sometimes i wish i was dead i just hate my self for been this way and now i had this dr come to see me he only seemed to cared about that i can walk that i can talk and that i can lift things
    he dosent care about my state of mind im lost i dont know what to do anymore lifes bad enough but without money
    then i cant do anything at all i know i cant work i know i cant go to thos places to sighn on im feeling so scared right now i just wonderd if any one could give me any advice on what i can do becuse thos pepole only seem to care about your fitness and not your mental state seening this sight made me realise im not alone in all this but what will it take for thos drs to realise what ther doin to pepole who need help and not pushed will they be happyer if we start to take our own lifes one less person for them to have to make feel so low im so sorry to every one on here for sounding how i do but im so angry and confuced dont thos drs care for any one
    hope some of you good pepole can advice me
    regards james

    Comment by james — July 10, 2011 @ 4:05 pm

  48. Hello James.

    You don’t need to sign on, you can appeal against their decision to find you fit for work, and by appealing you will get the assessment rate, which is the same as Job seekers allowance, and you get the rent rebate and community tax rebate too.
    Click on here James and you can get expert advice on what to do next http://dwpexaminations.blacktrianglecampaign.org/phpBB3/ don’t forget you can contact your local welfare rights or Citizens advice office as well and they can help with your appeal submission. There is an organisation called MIND they can help you as well.

    Comment by dwpexamination — July 11, 2011 @ 5:38 am

  49. I have also been turned down for e.m.a, and I am really angry as the question i would have scored points on wasn’t the answers i gave to a medical NURSE. and my bending an kneeling was not even scored at all cos it wasn’t on the form . I wrote to them to appeal they sent a letter back asking for more evidence !!!! two days later i received a letter saying they are sticking to there decision !!!! NOT EVEN GIVEN ME CHANCE TO SEND LETTERS OMG !!! personally i think it a ploy to get anyone they can genuine or not by putting through this ordeal hoping they will just give up on it !!!!!!!! Im in constant pain with my back but given up work and taking pain killers everyday i manage it x if i went back too work in a week i would barely be able too move again causing more scare tissue etc i have mri scans proving damage caused too my back but i don’t think that this matters cos the nurse is so much smarter after all

    Comment by rooster — September 17, 2011 @ 2:20 pm

  50. Hello Rooster.

    EMA ? I hope you mean ESA (Employment and support allowance) as you can see and have worked out for yourself it’s a scam, so are you going to join us and help defeat them http://dwpexaminations.blacktrianglecampaign.org/phpBB3/ anyway that wasn’t the appeal, that was what’s called the RECONSIDERATION, Which means the decision maker who has no medical experience has tried to con you in to thinking it’s your appeal, you can get a GL 24 form from the JC plus and write out a proper appeal, we can help if you log in to the above link.

    Comment by dwpexamination — September 17, 2011 @ 7:12 pm

  51. Hi Well Tomorrow i am going to Arden House nwcastle for a Medical assessment i have mental health problems and have been told that its all new now on what they ask you im feeling so sick as i hate leaving the house and dont like to think what they are going to ask me and maybe try trick me.

    Comment by Anonymous — October 31, 2011 @ 7:19 pm

  52. All you can do is answer the questions honestly, in answer to every question regarding your mental health you make sure you get across to these box ticking idiots that every day is a bad day, because with constant mental health issues each day is always on your mind and therefore there is no such thing as a good day, you follow me ?.
    If you have problems with these people, as in zero points etc and you have to appeal, well we can help you win an appeal, just log in to the forum http://dwpexaminations.blacktrianglecampaign.org/phpBB3/ for free advice and help on what to do for money, appeals, who to contact for help near you etc.

    Comment by dwpexamination — October 31, 2011 @ 8:46 pm

  53. Thanks im just feeling sick to the bottom i just cant bare to face people and making me go up there is a nightmare, will let you’s know what happens and what they ask me just for others to know.

    Comment by Anonymous — October 31, 2011 @ 10:38 pm

  54. Cheers…we would be interested in what questions they ask you as well, by the way the assessment doesn’t last long because they can’t wait to get on with it then get you out and get ready for their next bonus victim.

    Comment by dwpexamination — October 31, 2011 @ 10:52 pm

  55. Yeah iv been about 4 times in the past but been told i was on some old thing but now its been changed and will ask me new questions which im not looking forward to im not the best at talking to people like them im taking a Member of family with me as always for support i just hope i dont get some nasty old witch, like the last one who dropped paper on the floor and asked me to pick it up. and asked me to do stupid things like lye on the bed and lift my lrg what the hell has that got to do with my mind

    Comment by Anonymous — October 31, 2011 @ 11:17 pm

  56. Hi so sorry for the late Reply,
    Well i went to This medical was in there really early so got seen first was this young Girl went in room so then she just started asking me stuff more or less what they asked me the last time how do i cook meals and i told her that i dont cook meals i get them brought to my house or made for me at home all depends and also told her that my sister helps me out, but then she asked me the same thing 3 times but in diffrent ways then asked how did i get there i said my parents car how long did it take i said i dont know my mother said about 20 mins i said i dont drive then later she asked what kind of car do i drive i got a bit Pist off and told her in my words ( i told you early before i dont drive),then all she asked was reallyabout do i sleep much etc how do i feel i said sometimes i feel i want to be dead when i wake up, she also asked how do i wash my clothes i said i dont have many clothes and i dont wash them others want to wash them for me and the things i have on i sleep in them sometimes so she just went on Thru my Form until it came to the end, im sure these people think its easy being like this if i could have a just one good day and many more then it would be great i told this lady i said how would you feel if you lost your house your job and then have 2 friends kill them self not at the same time mind diffrent times so there we are iv not heard back from them as yet so i dont know what to think at the moment we will see hope this helps.

    Comment by Anonymous — November 7, 2011 @ 2:33 pm

  57. Hi Anon.

    It might be a couple of weeks before you hear from them, it varies, but make sure you ask the DWP for your ESA 85 report anyway, if you don’t ask you don’t get, and you will need it if you find you have to appeal, help is available in great abundance here http://dwpexaminations.blacktrianglecampaign.org/phpBB3/ if the worst comes to the worst.

    Comment by dwpexamination — November 7, 2011 @ 3:22 pm

  58. Great thanks sometimes i wish they would just leave me alone which i know thats never going to happen

    Comment by Anonymous — November 7, 2011 @ 3:54 pm

  59. hi all i was just wondering my wifes just had a heart attack in the last week shes had two splints put in and has 7 types of pills and a sprey shes at this moment doin not to bad becuse shes not been out the house im just wondering if any one could let me know if she would be entitled to disabilty or any other kind of beniffts for this problem or if others get that kind of help as you can imagine its a stressfull time just now and hopeing for some advice

    Comment by james — November 7, 2011 @ 8:49 pm

  60. What’s your own circumstances James ? are you working ? in receipt of employment support allowance etc, do you have savings etc ?.
    As you can see it depends on your income, if you are working and earning 50 grand a year I think you can forget it, so as I said can you help by narrowing it down a bit ?.
    Cheers.

    Comment by dwpexamination — November 7, 2011 @ 10:16 pm

  61. hi thanks for your responce no im not working im separated from my wife but still have daily contact she dosent work either shes a carere for my handycaped son at the moment im on income surport and shes on income suport and careres allowince for my son but haveing had the heart attack shes goin to find things tough

    Comment by james — November 8, 2011 @ 1:46 pm

  62. I don’t see any reason why she can’t claim for ESA, after all she has a handicapped dependent as well, But I can see some possible snags, to be eligible for ESA they may find a job for her in one of their idiotic work focused interviews (unlikely but possible) in that case how would she be able to take care of her son ? that’s just one pitfall and there may be others, but just to be 100% sure she doesn’t lose out in money et al, can I suggest she makes an appointment with the local welfare rights or the CAB first, as I said just to make sure there is no loss offset.
    And things may get complicated if she can no longer be her sons carer etc.
    The DWP are notorious for messing folk around, so she should know her rights before applying. And if you are seperated, make sure they get the message you are living apart, visiting your wife daily could/would be construed as living together and that is a massive spanner in the works and the last thing you need.
    Visit the forum James and pose the question/s http://dwpexaminations.blacktrianglecampaign.org/phpBB3/ they are there to help, and all of them have been through the mill.

    Comment by dwpexamination — November 8, 2011 @ 2:40 pm

  63. I have just had my appeal turned down, now going to an independent tribunal……….I have had incapacity benefit for over 5 years as I have Fibromyalgia and more recently degenerative disc disease. I have about 7 operations on my abdomen, causing extreme pain from the adhesions, had both of my knee caps removed, septacaemia and a blood clot in my left leg, and the ‘healthcare professional’ still wrote on my report ‘ managed to drive to the centre’ no mention was made that the real problems were in my left leg and that I drive an automatic car!!!!!! arrrghghghghghghghh I am so cross, and the stress is making me ill. I could go on for hours about how she didnt listen to me properly in the assessment and I have bullet pointed this back to them, and they still turn me down. I have worked all of my life up until this, for what?

    Comment by Debs — November 14, 2011 @ 2:14 pm

  64. I have worked all of my life up until this, for what? Good question Debs, the answers simple ‘For them to take it away from you from right under your nose’ so will you pitch in and help, even if it’s just moral support, here http://dwpexaminations.blacktrianglecampaign.org/phpBB3/ because some of us are trying to do something about it.
    If we just stand back and say or do nothing then that’s what is going to happen ”Just take it away, everything, the NHS, our right to legal aid, our right to welfare when we need it et al.”

    Comment by dwpexamination — November 14, 2011 @ 3:07 pm

  65. of course I will……my family know how much I suffer and are astounded at how my case has just been dismissed. I feel that I was ‘tricked’ with some of the questions I was asked, and the people I saw at CAB said it sounded as if I had been so honest, as there are certain days, where perhaps I could work, for just the morning, but my CV would have to start with ‘ 100% unreliable and only able to come to work when I feel well enough’ who the hell is going to employ me on that basis, when I have chronic pain every day, and fatigue, some worse than others. I have contacted my local MP today (not heard back yet!) but, I will pester and pester until he calls me, I will also write. I WILL NOT stand back and have our rights taken away from us, believe me, willing to help your crusade all I can.

    Comment by Debs — November 14, 2011 @ 6:01 pm

  66. Cheers Debs, it’s our campaign unlike this Government we are all in this together, and it’s us who have to do something about it.
    You say you were tricked ? yes I’m sorry to have to be one to tell you that you are correct, that’s what’s happening all over the country, they are getting unsuspecting people in for these so called functional assessments, you know just like the fly that strolls in to the spiders web innocently and CLAMP the ATOS Doctor (who is a lovely person by the way) strikes, and the sad part of it is you don’t even know how devious they are until you get that brown enveloped letter informing you that the Dr claims you are fit for work and therefore not entitled to sickness benefits.
    The anger really starts to build when you see the lies the Dr told about you on the ESA 85 report they send to the DWP, the mindless decision maker in the DWP just rubber stamps everything that ATOS say.

    This has been going on in Britain for the last three years at least, and we have been trying to warn people, but it seems that a lot of people think they know it all (one guy said I’m on IB for life, and they won’t be interested in me, BOY IS HE IN FOR A SHOCK VERY SOON) and can’t be told anything so just like the fly they just keep heading for that web in droves, we can only weep for them as we watch. You can get all the help you need to appeal on the forum if you need it, and there are people to talk to as well, THE MAIN THING IS GET EDUCATED AND DON’T EXPECT ANYTHING FROM YOUR MP, BECAUSE THESE BASTARDS ARE ALL IN ON IT AS WELL., NO EXCEPTIONS THEY ALL KNOW ABOUT IT AND ARE DOING NOTHING.

    But we have some ways to make things difficult for them, and one day they will pay, when that time comes then watch them stab each other in the back claiming they were only following orders or they (like SGT Shultz in hogans heroes) knew nothing, or such and such forced them to do it. When the time comes, I for one will not be interested in excuses.

    Cheers and take care.

    Comment by dwpexamination — November 14, 2011 @ 7:54 pm

  67. Hi well got a lettter back from them and guess what i scored 0 points all the way down which im am very peed off at they just dont care at all but im not letting this rest i just cant take it in at the min what they have done.how do i get a ESA 85 report

    Comment by Anonymous — November 23, 2011 @ 11:58 am

  68. Well, get this, just had my second appeal declined, so now going to independent tribunal. My letter from DWP states…..”also, while a clients recollection of events surrounding a WCA might differ from that recorded by the HCP withiin the ESA85, as a third party was not present at the time, I am unable to reconcile such differences. The DWP is confident in the professionalism and competance of its health care professionals and as such I accept the record as presented by the HCP”

    Ok, so they also state I am not 100% capable of full time employment, I am still, apparently able for ‘light work’…….I have just got up after being in bed since Sunday afternoon with extreme fatigue and dreadful pain. I suffer with Fibromyalgia, so it can attack at any time, which I explained at my ATOS interview…..am I to go to an employer and say “can I just come in when I feel up to it?”…. What employer will take on someone like that. I am just so angry today, I have looked at the pack they have sent me, which includes all the information I have supplied to them, and been sent on to the tribunal service, however, they have not sent them the three A4 pages I sent them of my pain diary……if I knew where to send it, I would send it to them myself and say I’m afraid DWP forgot to send you this bit……..I am just bewildered how they can expect me to work, even though I would love to, my illness doesn’t afford me to know which day i will be ill on. So glad to have found this forum, at least I know I am not alone.

    Comment by angry and confused — November 23, 2011 @ 1:13 pm

  69. Hello Anon.

    Just phone up the Job centre that you deal with and say you have just been found fit for work and do not agree therefore I wish to appeal, could you please send me on the ESA 85 assessment report and also the GL 24 appeal form thanks etc.
    Don’t forget the person you will be talking to will not know you from Adam so it’s no use going in to details on the phone just get to the point and they will comply.
    If you need that help to appeal then as I said before you can log in here http://dwpexaminations.blacktrianglecampaign.org/phpBB3/

    Comment by dwpexamination — November 23, 2011 @ 3:37 pm

  70. Debbie you are not alone, this is the blog, you can get all the help you need here at the forum http://dwpexaminations.blacktrianglecampaign.org/phpBB3/ explain to the good folks on there what DWP/ATOS tribunal problems you are having and they will try their best to help, these are real people with real experiences of the DWP and ATOS, another thing…the powers that be cannot shut the forum down because the server is based in Iceland and outside British law and jurisdiction.

    Meanwhile I can suggest you get in touch with your local welfare rights office and they will help you as well, as for the A4 pages well if the worst comes to the worst then you can take them along for the appeal panel to read on the day of your appeal.

    Comment by dwpexamination — November 23, 2011 @ 3:47 pm

  71. Hello again Debbie.

    Could you please clarify, you say you had your second appeal declined, since an appeal is to the first tier tribunal and not a reconsideration by the DWP, could you please explain what you mean by ”just had my second appeal DECLINED ?”

    Thank you.

    Comment by dwpexamination — November 23, 2011 @ 7:48 pm

  72. Ah, ok, I went for my medical, then got p45 saying benefit declined, so appealed, then it was declined, now had letter saying its being passed to independent tribunal service. Sorry if I was a bit vague……still feeling a bit foggy!

    Comment by angry and confused — November 23, 2011 @ 10:13 pm

  73. Hello Debbie.

    Yes I just want to clear that up, you received notification from the DWP that you were found fit for work, so you appealed it was reconsidered, and now they are allowing the appeal ?. Ok got that.
    As you have seen the reconsideration process is just a sham, it’s nothing but a con to confuse and hope to put you off by trying to insinuate that your appeal has been heard and disallowed.
    We need to get it across to people who are new to this nonsense, that the reconsideration process is not the appeal it’s just a consideration by a pen pushing muppet, the truth is they don’t even consider anything, it wouldn’t surprise me if they didn’t even bother to look at it again, just cynically thrown to the side with the rest and piled up on top of each other.
    These decision makers are all in on this scam, they all know it’s totally unfair, but still they allow the horror to go on, they should all hang their heads in shame. Well there’s no excuse, when their time comes to be held to account in the future they should feel the full force of the law for their decisions. Are people out there aware that so far 16 people have committed suicide because of their erroneous life and death decisions ?.
    Ignorance of the law is no excuse either, and they can’t just say I was only following orders from my boss etc he forced me to do it.

    BULLSHIT…THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE AS WELL…!!

    Comment by dwpexamination — November 23, 2011 @ 10:39 pm

  74. have you seen this http://www.atoshealthcare.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=68

    just as an extra note, I am going to make an appointment to see the disability officer and a welfare officer, to see what their view is…..

    Comment by Debs — November 24, 2011 @ 10:36 am

  75. oh, another thing, they are discussing DWP on LBC right now!!!

    Comment by Debs — November 24, 2011 @ 10:36 am

  76. Thanks Debbie I will stick it on the links section on the forum.
    I noticed they have what’s called mental function champions, whatever will these jokers think up next ?.

    Comment by dwpexamination — November 24, 2011 @ 11:40 am

  77. Well i have been on the telephone and getting my ESA 85 sent out along with the GL 24 appeal form been told will get them around sat in the post! really my state of mind how on earth could they say i scored 0 points these people are living in there own tiny bubble i might have my bad days and sometimes dont have a clue even what day it is but im going to flight all the way to the end with these scum bags people they must love taking people off sick to get there own grubby hands on the money and im being cut £90 and will have to live on around £45 a week dont the DWP really make your christmas a happy one cheers sometimes you feel like walking to the nearest cliff top maybe that will make them happy

    Comment by Anonymous — November 24, 2011 @ 5:56 pm

  78. Hello Anon.

    That’s the first step, getting the ESA 85 and the GL 24 appeal form, you have a month to get it sorted, when you look at your ESA 85 you will see lot’s of mistakes, and the first feeling will be shock, don’t be shocked because the more mistakes there is the better for you at the appeal.

    The descriptors are everything, compare what you wrote regarding your health away back when you filled in that ESA 50 with the descriptors and at the same time compare with the ESA 85 mistakes and then compose the appeal.
    You will notice on the GL 24 there is a small box to write your appeal, that’s a con to try and make you think that’s all the space you have, just use the small box as your introduction and get A4 paper and number the descriptors as they apply to you etc.
    For instance suppose you cannot walk more than 25 metres and the ESA 85 says you can walk 30 metres, then you can use that numbered descriptor and explain the reason why you can only walk up to 25 metres, the descriptors are what they are interested in at the appeal, not what is wrong with you but your functional capability, it’s what you cannot do and so on that’s what gets you the points…!!

    Comment by dwpexamination — November 24, 2011 @ 7:17 pm

  79. Thanks DWPEX its a great help as im not that good at forms etc so will be getting help with them.

    Comment by Anonymous — November 24, 2011 @ 7:28 pm

  80. Well after all the waiting for ESA 85 and the GL 24 appeal form i get up to find that the job centre has sent me ESA50 Limited capability work questionnaire and a small greay book from April 2010 are they stupid.

    Comment by Anonymous — November 26, 2011 @ 1:03 pm

  81. Anonymous…The answer is yes, and it would be funny if it wasn’t so flippen serious, your first reaction is a strong desire to phone them up and denounce them for the idiots that they are, but you mustn’t do that, better to phone them and explain in a calm voice what the problem is, and I’m sure something can get sorted, don’t give yourself extra grief it’s not worth the aggro..!!

    Comment by dwpexamination — November 26, 2011 @ 2:02 pm

  82. ASTOUNDED……. I have had a letter today to go up in front of the Tribunal service, the first line of the letter says, if you wish to no longer appeal, tick this box!!!! More importantly, guess where they are asking me to attend? …………………..BIRMINGHAM! how in gods name do they expect me to get myself up there, is this another ploy, surely there are centres nearer to me ( I Live in Essex by the way!) that journey would destroy my back, knees and stomach….I shall be phoning them on Monday. Has anyone else attended this ‘place’?

    Comment by Debs — November 26, 2011 @ 2:07 pm

  83. P.S. and I am still not receiving any money!!!!!!

    Comment by Debs — November 26, 2011 @ 2:08 pm

  84. Hello Debs.
    Obviously desperately hoping you will tick that box, you have to go to Birmingham from Essex ?, they might as well say Birmingham Alabama because you won’t be going, ring them up and explain the situation, surely they have made a mistake ? because that is totally unacceptable.
    There are plenty of tribunals in London and that’s far enough from Essex for a journey, no it’s just not on, you need to phone the number they supplied you with, on no account let them browbeat you in to going away up there.
    Imagine being stupid enough to actually go there the judge on the panel would say oh well if you can journey that far you are obviously fit for work.

    Comment by dwpexamination — November 26, 2011 @ 2:48 pm

  85. Debs.

    You are not receiving any money ?, hope you applied for the assessment rate in your appeal submission ? or at least told them somehow ?, anyway that’s another call on Monday, this time to the DWP, politely ask if they could sort it for you..!!

    Comment by dwpexamination — November 26, 2011 @ 2:51 pm

  86. i was informed when i was awarded d.l.a high rate for day n night for life that it can not be taken off you and you dont after be reassesed is this correct please

    Comment by Linda Kathleen Briggs — November 28, 2011 @ 7:40 am

  87. The Government are re-assessing everyone with health problems with the aim of depriving them of their right to sickness benefit, their ultimate goal is to do away with every type of sickness benefit and bring in a type of work insurance via UNUM provident insurance company.
    Now we can look on with folded arms or try and do something about it, we are doing that here at the forum http://dwpexaminations.blacktrianglecampaign.org/phpBB3/

    Comment by dwpexamination — November 28, 2011 @ 9:25 am

  88. Hi been on the telephone to job centre the person there has told me that he is going to send out the form i need GL24 Appeal, then went on to say that they dont have my address but my parents address so how have they beed paying my rent sending me letters etc. Then went onto say that Job Centre Plus do not send out ESA 85 Report and that i have to ring Ardon house if i want that as they dont have this report which i then went onto say that they do as it gets sent to them but he still says they dont so thought maybe you could lend me a hand on this inrfo if he is telling lies thanks

    Comment by Anonymous — November 28, 2011 @ 3:38 pm

  89. Hello Anon.

    The person you spoke to on the phone is probably on 6 quid odds an hour and couldn’t give a monkeys.
    Send the DWP a letter and ask for the GL 24 form and an ESA 85 report, they are responsible for sending it on to you, not ATOS.

    Comment by dwpexamination — November 28, 2011 @ 7:14 pm

  90. Hi thanks i will do that, im sure they are trying to put me off from doing this but im not backing down to them im going to fight all the way

    Comment by Anonymous — November 30, 2011 @ 11:18 pm

  91. Anon you can get help with the appeal here at the forum http://dwpexaminations.blacktrianglecampaign.org/phpBB3/ just think up a username and log in.

    Comment by dwpexamination — November 30, 2011 @ 11:38 pm

  92. I just wanted to let people know of my own experience with ATOS examiner in Glasgow recently. I had appealed the decision of my DLA award for Low rate care & mobility. At the tribunal it was decided to ask for another EMP (medical examination) and the hearing was adjourned. The medical examiner came to my home. The first thing he asked was to see my ID (fair enough) however when I asked him to afford me the same courtesy, he refused stating that as he was in possession of my file, this was all the ID that he required to show me. (Not good news). Later when I received a copy of the medical examiners report, I was horrified to discover that it did not relate to myself. It spoke of of conditions that I did not have, it stated that I was not on any type of medication and was not in fact seeing consultants and repeatedly contradicted itself. I wrote to state that this report was wrong, and my GP also wrote a damning letter highlighting this erroneous report. The DWP decided on the basis of this report to request that my current level of DLA award be withdrawn. I thought that the tribunal would examine the medical evidence (reports, x-rays, print outs from CAT scans etc) whilst considering the false medical report in order to see that nothing within the medical report was accurate with regards to myself and my medical problems. Alas no, this false medical report is still considered as evidence and was accepted. Not only did I fail in my appeal for higher rates, but I also lost the award of low rates.

    We have asked for a 2nd tier hearing on the grounds that my human rights were disregarded (under Article 6 “Fair Hearing”) as the original tribunal failed to acknowledge that the medical report was indeed inaccurate and bore no resemblance of truth to my own medical conditions past or present, in fact quite the contrary in that the chairperson stated that whilst she agreed that I had previously claimed DLA based on medical conditions that were “prevalent” at the time of my original claim, it was “clear” that I no longer suffered this as evidenced in the most recent medical report. (That is the one that was a pack of lies).

    How we get on is anyone’s guess, but will let you know. Also I tried to make a complaint regarding this medical examiner, however as the tribunal decided to accept his report, the complaint fell on it’s face.

    Comment by David — December 6, 2011 @ 10:53 am

  93. I attended an ATOS medical in August, I never heard a reply until I was asked to attend another medical, I had to insist that I already had a medical and why should I have to attend another one, at first hey did not believe me. Then I received a number of replies. The ATOS doctor did not complete the medical, we have lost you file, you have not enough points and you are on a twelve-week recall.
    Now I must say the ATOS doctor was a retired GP from this area and had the name of being a very good GP, and he was a gentleman he suggested to me that I should ask my GP for a certain course of action, including various blood tests and a visit to an Occupational Therapist, and said they was various aids that I could get which would help. I ask me GP and he agreed that it would be a good idea. So I do not believe that this doctor’s madical was incompleat and for the same reason I do not believe I had too few points.
    ATOS at the request of the SSA made another appointment for me 23rd Disremember. Last Wednesday 1st Dec, I was informed by telephone by thw SSA that my appoint had been cancelled and there would be not appointments available for the foreseeable future. The very next again by telephone I was informed that I had to attend a medical now on the 3rd January.
    Can anyone tell me is this normal, and how many medicals can I be asked to attend.
    My GP has written to them expressing his surprise that I was called a second time because of the severity of my illness and also stated that he hoped that this would be the last time I would be called for the foreseeable future as in his opinipn I was in fact quite ill and had been for a long time.

    Comment by victor3144 — December 7, 2011 @ 5:05 pm

  94. Hello Victor.

    If you had told me that ATOS had called you for an assessment on say Monday and another assessment on Tuesday then another assessment on the Friday I would believe it because this is the most incompetent bunch of fools to ever gain a Government contract.
    They don’t know their arse from their elbow, so yes the answer is this is normal, in fact anything is normal with these twits. They once demanded someone who lives in Essex to attend an assessment in Birmingham, honestly you couldn’t make it up.
    Can I suggest you attend the assessment, because if you don’t you will find that your benefits will stop, just go and if the worst comes to the worst then appeal and just accept the assessment rate etc.
    You can get loads of help here as well http://dwpexaminations.blacktrianglecampaign.org/phpBB3/

    Comment by dwpexamination — December 7, 2011 @ 6:54 pm

  95. I suffer from Psoriatic Arthritis plus all the add-ons’ that comes with it. I am just so exhausted, part and parcel of the illness. I do not know who to trust. My GP seems to be on board, he did write them a stinker of a letter. My illness cannot be cured I get £99.70 per week no DLA, All I want is enough (not money) but just pain management so I can shop keep my home and myself clean. That is all.
    I have been trying to find out how much ATOS get per medical not having much success despite the freedom of iformatio act. So if anyone knows I would be interested.
    I have request all revelant document form my past medical so I migh be able to submite it for “Pulitzer Prize for Fiction”.
    Qualifications for ATOS/SSA Administrators.
    
A PhD. In male bovine excrement, this should be accompanied by the inability to orientate the geographical positions of their own anatomy, one of which should the hinge joint in the middle of the arm

    Comment by victor3144 — December 7, 2011 @ 10:13 pm

  96. Hello Victor.

    I’m sure someone on the forum http://dwpexaminations.blacktrianglecampaign.org/phpBB3/ has already put in a FOI to try and find out how much they receive per assessment, I do know one thing according to the recent work and pensions committee’s recent publication (£20 or in my case free from your MP) ATOS claim they do not receive a bonus per client but are paid by how many assessments they can carry out per day, as you can see the more assessments the more cash they get, that sounds like bonus work to me Victor, does that sound like bonus work to you ?.

    Anyway, when you are dealing with the DWP and ATOS everything is obscure semantics, they use words like ”CLIENT DECLINED” instead of Client could not, ”CLIENT GOT ON A COUCH WITHOUT THE HELP OF ANOTHER PERSON” instead of Client struggled to get on the couch etc, everything is double meanings and jive talking. ”WE ARE TRYING TO HELP THEM ON TO ESA AND THEREFORE IN TO WORK” when they really mean, We are trying to throw them on to Job seekers allowance and therefore the scrap heap with less money.
    The DWP used to be truthful Victor, but not anymore, they have lost all credibility and cannot be trusted anymore, so treat these jokers as the criminals that they are and trust them not, but don’t take my word for it, find out for yourself, but this is a warning to everyone on here who reads this, if you want to learn the HARD WAY then get on with it, but don’t dare ever turn round in the future and say you weren’t warned.

    Comment by dwpexamination — December 8, 2011 @ 5:50 am

  97. Hi i have not wrote on here for about 2 weeks maybe 3 you wrote back to me on here number 89 my reply was… I have had the most horrific few weeks this appeal has just went on and on i have been told 3 times that my ESA 85 Report was in the post which i still have not got and this woman from wales give me another week but it has been a waste of time i have not getting it so i have had to send the Appeal form away with A4 paper for Extra writing as you said in there form there was not space to write and this morning i have just getting another letter this morning from newcastle city council saying that they have stopped my rent and its been suspended for one Month my house is private rented the way im being treated is just a bloody P** take so now i dont have any income and now they want to stop my rent my form was sent in yesterday without a ESA Report my last payment for income was the 16th december what a lovley way to be treated, i want to make a official complaint iv been treated like a door mat and was also told that the form from Ardon house goes to Bradford how can anybody Judge me from Bradford this system stinks they are all stupid i just dont know what to do now.

    Comment by Anonymous — December 17, 2011 @ 1:05 pm

  98. Hello Anon.

    Now you know what we are fighting against, now you understand how corrupt these people are, you must come to the forum http://dwpexaminations.blacktrianglecampaign.org/phpBB3/ and join us against these people and help us fight them, too many disabled and ill folk who could help are doing absolutely nothing and that is why we are in this mess.

    Anyway you have sent of your appeal without seeing your ESA 85 report, you decide why they would delay sending your report to you, after all that report was in the DWPs hands withing 24 hours of you leaving the ATOS building, it’s obvious what these corrupt bastards are trying to do.
    They have also informed the housing department that you are fit for work and no longer entitled to benefits, of course they have omitted to tell the housing department that you are appealing against their decision finding you fit for work and therefore entitled to the assessment rate.
    They did the same to me, so I can tell you what I did, which was to send them a letter and informed them that since I am appealing and still on benefits then I have the right to the same benefits as before. In other words make sure you get across to the housing department that you are on the assessment rate because you are appealing. If you do this you will be ok and still get your rebate as before, you may have to wait a little longer. The DWP are doing this to everyone to cause as much chaos as possible, their object is to force you to sign on at any cost they don’t care if you die in the process.
    As I said join the forum and get educated, do not let them trap you again because of ignorance of your rights, and don’t ever forget when dealing with the DWP then the way to go is to get on their back immediately, give them no respite, because they will give you none.

    Comment by dwpexamination — December 17, 2011 @ 2:12 pm

  99. thank you so much for the info i will do that and will keep you updated more often yes i will join and beat these pigs

    Comment by Anonymous — December 17, 2011 @ 4:02 pm

  100. Hi DWP i have tried to join but it just keeps saying The field “Are you a human being?” must be completed. i have clicked Yeah I Am does not ask anything else i put everything in the numbers and letters at the bottom.will try again later unless there is a fault

    Comment by Anonymous — December 17, 2011 @ 4:31 pm

  101. The fault is only temporary and will be sorted soon, it has arisen due to the new anti-spam which has just been installed, we were plagued with it unfortunately, it stops all spam, trouble is it is stopping legitimate members from joining, we are working on it and will soon be sorted before long.

    Comment by dwpexamination — December 17, 2011 @ 6:08 pm

  102. Hi, I know this to be true.

    It’s difficult to get your head around it.

    I just got a letter saying my Housing benefit and Council Tax have been suspended. They’re erring on the side of caution, my benefits are due to be reduced (fair enough) but just in case they pay me too much, they’re suspending them until they’ve worked out how much to reduce it by. In the mean time, I’m left to expalin to the landlord why I can’t pay the rent.

    And it’s Christmas Eve!!! These letters always arrive on a Saturday, leaving me all weekend to contemplate the prospect of homelessness (your life in their hands), but “Happy Christmas from the SS”!

    They do it deliberately, the sadistic b********s!

    Comment by John — December 24, 2011 @ 7:14 pm

  103. Hi John.

    It’s a typical DWP tactic and same here last time, but this time I was ready for them, we live and learn, and believe me I’ve learned my lesson.

    Comment by dwpexamination — December 25, 2011 @ 12:55 am

  104. Hi DWP i was number 97 and 99 well as i waited so long for that report i never got as i said i just sent my form in with out seeing it i would been due to a payment today but with all this shit going on i dont have penny i should really had my 2 weeks money, so i guess the appeal i sent in has prob not even been looked at with christmas so it will be a waiting game for me, and i wonder am i entiled to a C/Loan? and also can i make a complaint because of them not sending my ESA Report thats what made me get my Appeal in so late and then iv ended up with nothing these people make me sick and pissed off i am so angry,i went down and told them about my rent being stopped and so she faxed a letter saying that i was appeal to the dss and for my rent to be put back to normal but that i dont have either my landlord is not to happy about it i really want to complain about this but dont know where and who?

    Comment by Anonymous — December 28, 2011 @ 12:19 am

  105. Anonymous.

    You can complain to your constituency MP, and also your local DWP office, by rights you should receive that report immediately and they have no excuse because the whole report is sent from ATOS to the DWP that very day of the assessment.
    Yes if you are stuck for money you can ask for a crisis loan.

    Now you have found out the hard way, the DWP are liars and don’t give a toss, not only that but their whole system is a shambles because they have made their working lives as difficult for themselves as possible, so do not believe anything they say, take everything with a pinch of salt, I can tell you, everything you have experienced I have experienced (except for the report, I always got that immediately) and it’s all designed to sicken you, this has been going on for years now and we on this Blog and also the forum http://dwpexaminations.blacktrianglecampaign.org/phpBB3/ are trying to get it across that we are not joking, we are trying to warn everyone before they get caught up in all this, but sadly very few people are listening to what we have to say.
    We are seeing people making the same mistakes day in day out, and most of it can be avoided if they got themselves educated and if also they knew how much of a shambles the DWP system really is, if the taxpayer only knew how inefficient they are they would put an end to it immediately.

    Comment by dwpexamination — December 28, 2011 @ 10:17 am

  106. Hi Again well i phoned up crisis loan today and waited 36 min on phone for them to answer so when i do get to talk he tells me that i must ring the esa at job centre so i ring them thats another 26 min so i speak to this woman she puts me through to somebody else 5 min wait there so when i speak to this indian woman i explain that about my appeal and how i waited for the esa report and the form went in late and i was due money on the 28th december so she tells me that i should sent in a sick note with my appeal??? which i told her that i dont hand sick notes in and that it was a Appeal form but she goes on to say that no im wrong and that she has to email somedody else about this and that it can take up to 3 hours for them to ring me back i was so pissed off if i could put my hand in the phone i would put them round her neck so if they dont call me back i have to wait until tomorrow for them ringing me.feels like im just getting no where

    Comment by Anonymous — December 29, 2011 @ 3:29 pm

  107. Hello Anon.

    There seems to be a confusion here and this is one of the problems with dealing with foreigners on the phone, you don’t need to send in a sick note with the appeal, but you do need to send in a sick note if you are appealing, they will not pay you the assessment rate if you do not send in a sick note, so you must see your GP and get that sick note, the DWP should have told you this on the letter explaining you have been found fit for work and can appeal.
    And yes I agree, talking to them on the phone is absolutely excruciating…

    Comment by dwpexamination — December 29, 2011 @ 4:11 pm

  108. Hi DWP well i just rang back and got somebody english which she seemed better then the rest and i explained i told her this is just 1 big nightmare shambles everything she seemed shocked at what i told her and about the esa 85 report i thought enough is enough so she then went onto to tell me that i must get a sick note asap then make a appointment at the job centre take it in there and then they will send the info to them and then sort out a payment so i asked about a crisis loan will i be able to get one she said yes so i told her what the first person said from crisis loan this morning can you put a note on so that when i do ring there wont be any prosblem so she said she is/has done that and it be best to ring tomorrow as its too late now, so i seem to be moving that little closer i will state at the appeal that twice the dwp have (Failed) to send me that Medical Report which its Law to send me it and why would they not send it have they something to hide? from me i will fight until the very end with these people i really feel for people who have just been taking off now they have a rocky road ahead and im only half way there..anyways will keep the page updated. Many Thanks for the help.. SJ

    Comment by Anonymous — December 29, 2011 @ 4:42 pm

  109. Hello Anon.

    At least your getting somewhere, when they get the sick note then in theory they should pay you, but don’t take anything for granted, to avoid disappointment expect the worst every time you deal with them, because getting your hopes dashed time after time is totally soul destroying. Now it’s just a waiting game as soon as that sick notes in, and patience is a virtue here..!!

    Comment by dwpexamination — December 29, 2011 @ 5:06 pm

  110. Hello,

    Firstly I would like to say there is a great insight into the Department for Walking over People. I like many others on here have been through the medical with Atos, and with neuropathic pain from the base of the skull, I find day to day living difficult, the assessment its self was a farse, just a load of questions, and no examination. On closer inspection of the report they sent me and looking at other sources of information regarding dwp medical proceedures, it looks to be that things movement of limbs ect have to be affected by a seperate issue and not arising from the issue to which I am claiming. On the 7th December I got a letter saying my ESA claim had been denied and that my last payment would be a few days before Christmas, added stress aghhhhh. 0 points out of 15. I sent in an appeal and medical certificate, and for some reason appeal was lost but certificate was on system, phoned up on the 29th both on system but appeal in the south and medical certificate up north. Finally got them to accept they had both bits of information and payment is pending, but due to the 3 hour call back from them ect, ive delayed taking my medication so much my doctor has had to prescribe something else to top it up, if I take it during the time of the call back, I become somewhat incoherant and spaced out, or other side effects like sickness so I miss the call. I ask how long does the appeal take? not the triburanal because i was told 6 – 8 months. I have the backing of my GP and surgeon, but the dwp dont listen or read the letters. I guess my writing this is just to vent my anger at the way I have and every one else has been treated, im not looking to stay on ESA for the rest of my life, but due to the complexity of my pain and its surgical side affects my GP and surgeon have to explore all possibilities even the small ones they are 99% sure wont make any difference.

    Comment by Not a Cliff Fan — January 5, 2012 @ 11:17 am

  111. Hello not a cliff fan.

    The appeal is the tribunal so you must mean the DWP decision makers reconsideration ? well it can take a month or two, by the time your appeal claim gets to the top of the pile, then they look at the basic details just to make sure you are still alive and haven’t killed yourself with the stress of it all, then they send you a letter saying your appeal was reconsidered you have been miraculously cured and you are still fit for work, so as you can see the reconsideration process is just a con because basically they don’t reconsider anything, it’s just a time wasting gimmick that helps them but does you no favours, so I personally would not ask them for a reconsideration but ask instead to be fastracked through to the proper appeal process as soon as possible.
    But be aware that even if you do this they will still not respect your wishes and go ahead with the sham reconsideration anyway whether you want one or not……..GO FIGURE THAT ONE OUT.

    Comment by dwpexamination — January 5, 2012 @ 1:57 pm

  112. Is there a list of Doctors that are used by Atos Origin? It is clear to me that the system is corrupt when Atos and indeed the doctors they use are on bonuses for giving reasons to deny disability help.

    I have had an appeal on going for over eighteen months now. When I finally got a court day for the tribunal it was postponed and carried on for another couple of months. When the hearing came around I was made by the doctor present to feel like a fraud, a cheat and a liar. The hearing was again postponed so that a doctor could be sent to see me as I had never had a medical exam, I was seen on the 21 December 2011 by a Doctor. The subsequent report the doctor has filled in and sent back is nothing more than a sick joke or a scam. Over half the questions I can only assume have been made up as I was never asked them and the assumptions made by this man who does not know me, never seen me before and knows nothing about my medical history are totally wrong and I would go as far to say a down right lie.

    What Atos Origin and the government are doing is making a mockery of the medical profession by getting doctors to undermine the expertise of other medical professionals such as the four specialists that I am currently under, five if you count my Physiotherapist.

    I have thought of many ways to complain about this situation most of which would only bring shame on my family, the only other way I can try to bring light to this appauling situation is to go on a lone one man hunger strike in the hope that the system can be cleaned up.

    It is my hope to bring shame on all the people who have been abusing the system for many years if not decades at the expense of people who are genuine.

    Comment by Kevin Horne — January 8, 2012 @ 12:08 pm

  113. Hello Kevin.

    All this nonsense you are experiencing is par for the course from ATOS healthcare and the DWP and has been going on for at least three years, it’s all a game to try and get you of benefits by sickening you to the point where you just crawl away and die, of course you mustn’t do that but just keep appealing and applying for the assessment rate.
    A bit of good news is you will not get the same panel as the last time so the new panel will be starting afresh, I found that out by my own experience, I quickly realised that the new panel were clueless to the last panels decision, proof enough.
    And it is a sick joke and a scam you are right there, we are fighting against this abuse of power here at the forum http://dwpexaminations.blacktrianglecampaign.org/phpBB3/ we want to see an end to this fabricated functional assessment nonsense as well as an end to ATOS and a new fairer assessment put in place.

    Comment by dwpexamination — January 8, 2012 @ 2:15 pm

  114. I am on D.L.A and E.S.A i had to go for a medical which killed me as i suffer with bad anxiety, whatever happens i’ll be appealing, was just wondering if anyone can help me and let me know if when you go for a medical are they making decisions on my e.s.a or d.l.a? just iv got a letter saying iv been awarded d.l.a. untill 2013 so im abit confused, iv been told Ardon house dont deal with D.L.A but i really dont know, but if so why have i been awarded it untill 2013 :/ PLEASE someone help anxiety bars raising.

    Comment by Candy — January 9, 2012 @ 5:30 pm

  115. Hello Candy.

    The assessment is to see if you are fit to work, so that’s for your ESA, if you fail their assessment then they usually use that as an excuse to stop your DLA because even though DLA is an out of work benefit as well as an in work benefit their logic says if you are found fit for work at the assessment then there is no need for you to receive any kind of benefit other than Job seekers allowance.
    Of course if the worst comes to the worst then an appeal will be in order and if you win the appeal the whole rigmarole starts again, so you need to understand that they will never go away, every time you win an appeal you will receive a letter in double quick time from ATOS to go for another assessment.
    I’m sure you will agree that this nonsense has to end and we are trying to do this on the forum http://dwpexaminations.blacktrianglecampaign.org/phpBB3/ as well as helping people with their appeals etc.
    The Spartacus report which concerns DLA in particular is now available to download here http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/files/response_to_proposed_dla_reforms.pdf

    Comment by dwpexamination — January 9, 2012 @ 5:55 pm

  116. Hi DWP my last comment was 108 well where do i start so much has went on iv just lost where i am.. Well i got a crisis loan great so then i thought right everything will be normal silly me there is no such name in the dwp i was due my payment looking forward to it went to bank nothing in so i called them up they said i need a sick note i told them why did you not say this to me weeks ago so i rang my doctors and only just got to see him on the 8th and it was at least week and a half ago so i got my sick note went in the same day with the time they give me sat 15 min they shouted me over so he asked me to fill out the back of the sick note so i did right he said you will get a call in about 2 hrs time!! Right great waited 2 hrs no call 3 hrs no call so i rings them up to be told they are very busy and it may be the next day so i said fare enough you cant win either way so next day i ring them got a welsh woman only for her to say to me that i must have another sick note from Dec-Jan and unless i get that i wont be paid so im thought these Cu**s are taking me to the limit now so rang my doctors back told her on phone and asked if my doctor could do me a sick note and i will collect it Not as simple as that for what took me 3 min 2 days ago i was only told it would take 48 hrs well im starting to loose it now had a few words on phone so she said i will send a note down to him and then when he brings it up to the desk we will ring you great only sat all day no phone call no money nothing they have taking the food out my mouth and the heating from my house i have key meters and just Dont have the money to top them up with not being paid so its a blanket on the sofa my Human rights have been laughed at they just think they can do what the fuck they want and dont give a shite i want all these dwp people to loose there jobs and fall very ill then be made to visit atos lets see how they feel i want to make a complaint for the way i have been treated but dont have a clue where to go or what to ask for will they have forms to complain.anyways these people all need shooting at the dwp horrible nasty corruption evil people

    Comment by Anonymous — January 10, 2012 @ 11:56 pm

  117. Hello Anon.

    Everything you have went through I have already been through over two years ago and was made homeless, sick notes more sick notes, we lost the sick note Sir so you will have to get another one Sir, it’s all designed to drive you round the twist and force you to sign on because they don’t want you to receive sickness benefits.
    That’s why you have to keep on top, there can be no letup when it comes to dealing with the DWP, you must keep in touch or you will always be behind in info etc http://dwpexaminations.blacktrianglecampaign.org/phpBB3/ that’s the forum go there and learn what this Government has planned for you, and maybe you can join us and help instead of being a lone wolf and losing out.
    You can also download the Spartacus report and learn from it http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/files/response_to_proposed_dla_reforms.pdf the Government have deceived the whole country in their desperate attempt to push the welfare reforms through, they have lied to the people and they have lied to the backbenchers and they have lied to the Lords, they have also lied to the media, this Government is a dictatorship and they will stop at nothing to push their unmandated policies through.

    Comment by dwpexamination — January 11, 2012 @ 6:38 am

  118. in august 2011 i had a medical with atos because of having osteoarthritus of the spine in L4/L5/S1,i have a protruding disc onL5,i have spasmodic giving away of my knees and have just had a bicep repair in my dominant shoulder repaired with a pin inserted for life which tendon is attached to ,i also have uncontrollable bowel problems because of herniated disc.my weight is 18,5 stone.i have been medically retired from my job as a postman after 27 years and been told by atos that they dont think i will work before retirement age.i was 45 years old given my pension and lump sum .i was on esa and reassessed in dec 2011,i have had a letter today to tell me i failed this medical with 6 points [all for my bowel probs] and in their view i can work again all this in 4 months according to them im cured atos retired me then atos said im fit.i am in constant pain have the runs as soon as i eat ,my life is sat on a recliner chair in front of telly as i cant walk without pain cant stand for long or sit straight for long i cant lift anything over 2.5kg [physios words],it looks like i might have to have a 2or3 level spine fusion,undergoing tests on knees and bowel.
    my point is how can atos finish me and 4 months later say im fit when because im not active im in more pain.i know im better off than some because iv got a pension coming in but by rights im entitled to my esa i have appealed but been told it could be 6 months .[my esa is low because of my pension so im not on full amount.

    Comment by philip westerman — January 18, 2012 @ 9:02 pm

  119. Hi Philip.

    Well I can see you are going to win your appeal with absolutely no problems (Of course you should never be complacent) and all money these monsters owe you will be backdated to the date you were told by the DWP that you were supposedly fit for work.
    That’s as good as money in the bank Philip, and will be yours again some day, you just (easier said than done I know) have to try and be patient.

    Now this you are unfit then fit business by the same company has been explored by us and others in the past, and this is what ATOS have to say : ATOS Occupational health (When you were a postman) have decided you are not fit enough to work in the post office at your regular job, and we haven’t really got anything you could do that would justify our employers in keeping you on, so goodby.

    Then ATOS healthcare, you see Philip the same company but a different branch, have assessed you and decided that even though you couldn’t work as a postman there must be something out there you can do, therefore you are not entitled to any kind of sickness benefits, because remember Philip just because ATOS and the Government have told you that you are fit for work this doesn’t mean they do not recognise you have health problems.
    So the DWP say on their idiotic brown coloured letters which they love to send when they find you fit for work, the decision makers who send these letters are in my opinion nothing but criminals because each one of them knows fine well what they are doing to sick people is just downright immoral, disingenuous, and right on the border of the mentality of a Nazi storm trooper.

    Not one of these DWP decision making bastards in the whole of Britain has got the courage to get of their skidmarked underpants and say to Lord Freud NO Mr Freud this is wrong and I will not be a party to it any longer.

    So it looks as though at least for the moment we will just have to appeal every erroneous decision they make and keep appealing and appealing until they get it in to their thick skulls that we are never going to give up and it is not going to improve their figures and is not going to save the country any money in fact it’s going to cost them money.

    Comment by dwpexamination — January 18, 2012 @ 10:23 pm

  120. A few months ago I failed this discriminatroy assessment programme and have been deemed fit to work within 3 months. I am a recluse. The assessor wrote that I go out to the pub once a month with my friend. I don’t, (my mother forces me to go out about 3 times a year to a small quiet pub at 2pm when it is empty and which has a carpak at the back so I can escape easily and the owner of which I know well from when I worked accross the road). He even said that being able to care for our cats is apparently relevant, ignoring the fact that openning a food pouch (I can’t pick up a tin) does not mean I can go to the shop to buy the food, and one of them has a serious illness and would have died three times in the last year if mum couldn’t take him to the vet. He said I was able to “make cheerful banter with mother” which really was my mother doing her best to stop me having a major panic attack, he ignored the fact that she needed to come into the room with me. He said I wasn’t rocking (a sign of anxiety) when my mother even had to tell me to stop rocking (she doesn’t like it). He said I have no difficulty moving my hand, even though I can’t even turn it over or pick up a spoon and he took no note of the pain at all. I am supposed to have another operation on it according to the specialist, but I am too afraid to go to the doctor. Apparently I was well kempt, which I am certain an employer would disagree with, and maintained adequate eye contact, I think I looked at him three times in the 20 minutes. Nearly all his notes were the opposite of what I said to him, and he almost ignored how my condition afects my functioning in the house. I can’t even wake up unless forced – even alarms don’t wake me, I don’t eat unless prompted, or shower, or do laundry. I’m a basket case.
    But that day, I was having what I call “a good day” I felt I was improving and had even managed to go out with my friend and a few other people after 7pm (obviously to somewhere where we were the only ones there), that was the first time I had managed that in about 5 years. I have long been looking for work I can do from home that doesn’t start with “Do you own a web cam?” and the other doctors I’ve seen before were supportive and conversed with me so I was trying really hard to act “normal” – that was a big mistake.
    He wrote that I was able to go to uni two years ago – without asking how – I lived with my then partner, a friend went with me the first few days, I had a support group of other people with anxiety disoders in my class, was never without one of these girls and all of the staff were trained psychologist and counsellors – as it was a psychology and counselling degree. I didn’t go out drinking and partying (he actually assumed I drank a lot), and it was the most stressful thing I have ever done until now, but I did this terrible, useless degree as a form of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, learn about your disorder and set daily challenges in a safe environment etc.
    He noted that I am not on medication etc. but didn’t care that this was because I can’t phone for an appointment at the doctors, am afraid to go to get repeat prescriptions and really wish I was dosed up to the eyeballs. Apparently being too ill to get help means you don’t need help.
    Now I have to go to meetings, even while I appeal, or they will penalise me (for being ill), to learn how to write a CV as if I don’t know that already and it will be of any use when there are no work from home jobs available. I haven’t slept for two days because my appointment is tomorrow. My mum can come with me, and they don’t seem to think that implies I am ill, I’m 26 and need my mother to go with me for f**ks sake. It is bad enough knowing I’m abnormal, knowing what is wrong with me, what caused it, how my brain chemistry is affected, what medications I need and how they work and don’t work and knowing the counselling techniques that can help, and dealing with the stigma from my own family (half of whom I have cut all contact with as a result of abuse) without being called a liar by someone who didn’t listen to a word I said, and clearly has no active listening training at all and made no effort to seem approachable.
    I haven’t had suicidal thoughts for about a year, the anxiety was the main problem, but now they are back with a vengance since they put me in the work-activity group, every time I see the front door I freak-out because I HAVE to go out tomorrow or they will assume I am fine (it makes no sense), I’ve barely been downstaires in the last three weeks because of it. All I wanted was a list of employers that do jobs from home like databasing or proof reading. I honestly feel this is going to kill me, and that would suit them just fine. I would rather die of my own volition and stop being a burden to my mother and society rather than being bullied and driven to suicide by these “people” who clearly don’t care that this is doing the opposite of helping me. I need some way to access the healchcare system not this. The whole system from doctors appointments, applying for benefits, the interviews, work programme and appeals is all set up to punish people like me for having a mental illness rather than a physical one. not to mention the press and public opinion seeing me as a “scrounger”. I already feel bad about being “insane”, but apparently I’m fine and just lying so I can have an “easy life”, I’d like the people who run this to spend one day in my shoes – they can even have one of my rare “good days”.
    They even lost my appeal form so I have to do that again, and people say it takes ages and there might be a tribunal. I can’t do this, “life” (if that’s what you call what I have) was hard enough already. I can’t imagine how bad it must be for people who are seriously ill. Why is there no class-action against thse guys and the DWP, I’d join it in a second.

    Comment by Rebecca — January 19, 2012 @ 3:50 am

  121. Hello Rebecca.

    We are sorry to hear this story and all the crap you have to go through, but I can tell you that you are not the only one because it’s happening to thousands and thousands all over Britain, ATOS liars have a lot to answer for.
    You say you are in the WRAG (work related ? I can only go on what you tell me) which must mean you are appealing because you believe your condition is such that you should be in the support group, I can tell you that to qualify for the support group you need to be virtually brain dead (apologies to anyone with that dreadful condition) so just about everyone is in the WRAG.
    I wish you had come to us sooner here at the forum http://dwpexaminations.blacktrianglecampaign.org/phpBB3/ where theRE are people with your health problems who can/could have helped before you went for that assessment (admitting you can go to the pub will go against you for instance), the forum is still available and at your disposal for the next time you visit these people.

    Comment by dwpexamination — January 19, 2012 @ 6:00 am

  122. even though atos retired me there are 3 options that post office can give you,1,is we think you can do other postal work,2,you cant do postal work so here is 34 weeks pay go find another job that you are fit to do and 3,in our view you are not fit to work anywhere with your condition here is a medical retirement and lump sum and monthly pension.atos now say i can work so why didnt atos say you are an option 2,but atos said you are an option 3,HOW CAN THEY CHANGE THEIR MINDS NOW,i could have stayed with post office and worked for 20 years maybe and had 47 years service with them,In my view atos are not fit to do this job.
    in reply to 118

    Comment by philip westerman — January 21, 2012 @ 1:14 pm

  123. Phillp… Your rhetorical question is 100% correct and at the same time shown up the stupidity of the ATOS tick box one size fits all so called functional assessment. A not fit for purpose money making scam and should be ended immediately with a new fairer impartial system put in place.

    Comment by dwpexamination — January 21, 2012 @ 2:06 pm

  124. this has happened to 3 of my mates who were retired by atos from royal mail the same time as me,all told same as me,jobcenter has told me they have seen people get no points and still win the appeal,it just makes a mockery of the system,and the more they fail the more that appeal the longer its gonna take to have your appeal,and for some money is very tight

    Comment by philip westerman — January 21, 2012 @ 2:44 pm

  125. An excuse to get rid of people from the Post office as well, soon all companies will have these ATOS type Drs in place to help get rid of people who dare to take a couple of days off sick.

    Comment by dwpexamination — January 21, 2012 @ 3:40 pm

  126. feb 2012, Well atos has just done the same to me ! They sent me a letter saying zero points ! I had to request the medical form they fill out , that wasnt coming without a fight, also the letters from medical professionals , that box wasnt ticked when they said medical evidence given by the way !
    I had to request these letters twice , as they didnt want to hand them over !. I was told at interview , in between crying and shaking m no anxiety or depression here though……JOKE! that it goes to somone else and they make the decision. The medical form with all the tick boxes , said i was in a fit state on one hand , but not in another , so ATOS are the monkeys NOT the organ grinders !
    Mysteriously my tax credit hasnt been paid either , although tax credits SAY IT HAS ! The interview is designed to fail US , not them ! , They had to send me home in a taxi , as i was in no fit state to do anything !, They said i was angry at first at interview , this was true , i said to them well you already made the
    decision before i got here, so WHAT IS THE POINT !!! ???????? They didnt like that one !
    I am appealing , was told to straight away , it has taken me two weeks as i havent been well enough to even write to them. I appealed and they faxed it with my sick note via the JOB CENTRE, i got a monkey [ and not a nice one who said that THE MEDICALS WERE DESIGNED TO HELP US ] JOKE !!!
    I do suffer with anxiety and depression , i think i may add paranoia to that now , as THEY KNOW EXACTLY what they are doing. Good luck to all , but dont hold your breath , Rosie

    Comment by rosie — February 3, 2012 @ 2:23 pm

  127. Dear rebecca , yes i was told that , the rocking only counts for anxiety ! YOU poor thing , i dont go out much either ! if at all i said i went to the market , fact i dont go out if all month upon month is irrelevant ! You are not going to win , the whole set up is put there to for you to fail this doesnt help my anxiety and trust issues ! i was told that i couldnt get a copy of my sick note , as even if they lost it , my copy wouldnt COUNT as it was a copy , and they didnt want to waste resources ! ATOS can do that all by themselves ! Appeal , im expecting to lose mine as i was really RUDE ! I really dont trust this government anymore ,i feel quite threatened and honest , if we cant trust the very people who run the country to this extent , and it is an awful state of affairs WHO CAN WE TRUST. Now listen you are probably really going bonkers now , as you are probably thinking you imagined the interview , that really were you even there ?… did you speak ? or have you got paranoia and dellusional tendencies also [ to add for atos , hahahaha] Was there really a nurse or doctor there in the room with you ? i have always wondered if you can tape the conversation with those guys ? hmm interesting , something to look into i guess ! hugs and bless xx Rosie

    Comment by rosie — February 3, 2012 @ 2:38 pm

  128. well i have read quite a few comments on hear about atos?my story ,well you have heard it a thousand times on hear ,and yet i am fit for work, how can they say this when i have chronic kidney ,and liver cyst.depprsion, panic attacks my kidney function is nearly depleated ,and pain in muscle ,due to kidney problems ,i cannot walk too far ,and yet i was deemed fir to work / ,why ,cause i get dizzy standing for long periods, the so called nurse told lies about me in the medical saying i opened doors which i never did cause i did not know were to go ?they are liers and cheats ,sick after sick note i have sent in,i am now appealing with help from c a b my partner died 6 months ago ,so i had to deal with that,i am totally pissed off and wonder if i would be better of dead? the tears never stop so who is helping me,

    Comment by dede — February 7, 2012 @ 1:16 pm

  129. Hello Dede.

    We have all been there and know how you feel, it’s good you are getting help to appeal from the CAB, don’t forget to ask the DWP for the assessment rate while you wait for the appeal to be heard because they don’t tell you that is your right but advise you instead to sign on for job seekers allowance.
    Of course if you don’t know about the assessment rate and sign on just to get money to live they will say AH HA another scrounger caught out, so don’t give the buggers the privilege.

    (PS) They (ATOS) tell lies about everybody, and the appeal panels all know about it so don’t waste your time worrying about it. Just appeal and win and get all the money they owe you backdated, that will hurt them more than anything..!!

    Comment by dwpexamination — February 7, 2012 @ 3:27 pm

  130. just had my medical with atos for my industrial injury i recieved this time last year,initial assessment was 20% disabled in my dominant shoulder ,this as far as im aware is to see if its lifetime disability award,. The grumpiest guy iv ever seen dun the medical in and out in 10 minutes,never once looked me in the eyes hardly talked to me,wrote sum things down after telling me his name and tapping his atos name badge ,walked out of there feeling thats another appeal im gonna have to do ,even though i now have my bicep tendon stitched to a foreign object drilled into my shoulder bone,still get a lot of pain every day and have been told to never ever lift anything above 5kg for the rest of my life im 45.Went to citezins advice this week so they can fill out my dla forms they were great slagged off the atos,and agreed to write a letter to the tribunal for my esa appeal which they say will help.In the daily mirror yesterday there was a column slagging atos for making a man fit for work with heart problems he had won one appeal for incapacity benefit was due another appeal but then died of the stress,a labout minister is telling goverment to get rid of atos and said last year 150,000 people won their appeals,what a waste of tax payers money

    Comment by philip westerman — February 18, 2012 @ 1:14 pm

  131. Hello Philip.

    Up to now at least 31 people have died either directly or indirectly through ATOS erroneous decisions, Chris Grayling was asked about it in the commons and he just dodged the question, so he knows and there’s no excuses now, any more deaths or suicides and he should take full responsibility.
    This Government that’s running this Country has lost the plot, they are even demanding the terminally ill get out of their sick beds and in to work for their benefits, god only knows when all this horror will end..!!

    Comment by dwpexamination — February 18, 2012 @ 2:18 pm

  132. I’ve read all the posts with interest.
    I,ve just had an interview and was awarded the obligatory 12 points. Of course I telephoned dwp for an appeal form and they said it would be in my possesion inside two days (not.)
    My interview with the ‘doctor’ went, it seems, like everyone elses. The results were fabrication and lies. One thing that I didn’t realise was that when I got the results I was informed that they had already recieved an esa113 from my doctor. So much for medical files being private.
    Anyhoo what do you think of this. I told the ‘doctor’ that, among other things, I had meneiers disease. Having had a couple of mild attacks recently I found that I started going progressively deaf in one ear. Every single question he asked me I had to ask him to repeat it. (he was talking quietly). His report. Nothing wrong with my hearing. My back problem from an industrial injury was transcribed as, ‘could sit for forty minutes and stand for two.’ Correct. I sat for forty minutes and when it became so painful I stood. I was in such an odd position that I sat back down again because I couldn’t stand. Note that while I stood I took three Ibruprofen in front of him for the pain. His prognosis, I could lift a cup.
    Now, because I had informed him that I have diagnosed agitated depression and anxiety, he said, at the end of the interview, ‘do you mind if I give you a physical examination or are you too stressed that you want to go?’ I said, ‘no, I’d rather you examined me now as I have no intention of coming back. His reply was, ‘no it’s alright you can go. I’ve got enough information.
    I was gobsmacked. He cut the interview short, didn’t examine me at all, then deducted however many points based on observation alone. I mean, is that Atos policy to please yourself when you choose to end an interview. If he said he was going to examine me then the intent was there. He should have. So creative writing, fabrication and downright lies was all he wrote.

    Comment by Jeff Rich — February 25, 2012 @ 7:37 am

  133. Hello Jeff.

    Sometimes when one looks at Blogs and Forums one can form an opinion quite quickly as in THIS IS A LOAD OF BOLLOCKS, NOT SO HERE because you have found out by experiencing ATOS directly that everything we say is true.

    Let’s look at it logically Jeff ? why would this clown only give you 12 points ? another 3 and you can get your benefits, why would he be so lacking in any kind of empathy of your illness ? the Answer is obvious.

    In order to get his bonus he can not give you the full points, in other words your assessment was already decided before you even turned up at ATOS, so many that day get passed, and so many get failed, each Dr has so many assessments to do that day and such and such a percentage of them are to be found fit for work.

    THESE PEOPLE ARE NOTHING MORE THAN CRIMINALS, WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS NOTHING SHORT OF CRIMINAL AND THE BASTARDS SHOULD ALL BE IN JAIL AS FAR AS I’M CONCERNED.

    Comment by dwpexamination — February 25, 2012 @ 8:58 am

  134. Just to follow up on my comment this morning, thanks for your reply, the government have, in my opinion slipped up on grand scale.
    If my appeal is turned down, if I get that far, then I will turn up at Jobseekers, sign on and present my Atos report to them.
    I will inform them that when I apply for any jobs I will present any future employer with my Atos report and explain that it is my cv.
    Atos insist that their reports are valid and enjoy government backing so I will tell future employers that my Atos form is a government guarantee that I’m fit for work.
    These forms only work in an enclosed atmosphere. Any future employer will be able to see at a glance that, in Atos terms I am fit for work but twelve points say that there is obviously something wrong with me. The report has passed me fit and condemned my health in one and the same form.
    On an unrelated matter my MP has known about my illness for four years. They’ve picked on the wrong f@**ing person this time. They’ve put me in a position of nothing left to lose.

    Comment by Jeff Rich — February 25, 2012 @ 11:44 am

  135. i was told by benefits that they can overrule atos and as you have had 12 points they might very well do this,they seem to have a bit more sense than atos.

    Comment by philip westerman — February 25, 2012 @ 1:44 pm

  136. Hello Jeff.

    When you appeal you may get a letter from the DWP saying your appeal has been considered and your fitness for work still stands, they may also add we recognise you have an illness or disability but we believe with the right help and support you can be helped in to work.
    It won’t say that exactly but words similar, don’t fall for it, because it’s all bullshit, it’s a cynical attempt to make you believe your appeal has been heard and refused so why don’t you take the hint Senor and sign on.
    They may even phone you and tell you this, if they do then have your answer ready, just politely tell them THANKS BUT I WOULD STILL LIKE TO CARRY ON WITH THE APPEAL PLEASE. The decision maker will immediately end the call and grant your wish, don’t argue with them.

    By the way, you will win the appeal if you show medical evidence and answer the questions correctly, all money they owe is then backdated etc.
    So to look on the bright side at least you will have some money in the bank while you wait for the appeal to be heard.

    Go to the forum if you need any help or support.
    http://dwpexamination.org/

    Comment by dwpexamination — February 25, 2012 @ 5:08 pm

  137. Hello Phil.

    They are trying to cut down the number of people who they believe will have a good chance of winning their appeals, you obviously fall in to that category, it’s got nothing to do with sense they are not nice people, and they couldn’t give a toss if we/you lived or died.

    If they allow your appeal without going to the tribunal it’s because they know you are going to win hands down, only if they have the slightest doubt will they allow you to attend an appeal tribunal, the appeal panels cannot cope and that is the real reason. The fact that they have told you this suggests to me that you are going to win at a tribunal easily, they are just debating because they are still in some kind of petty denial.
    If you have to go forward with the appeal then don’t worry because you are going to win..!!

    Comment by dwpexamination — February 25, 2012 @ 5:21 pm

  138. had to larf today benefit agency only sent me someone elses appeals pack with all their reasons for turning them down for esa,reading it because this person has a few of my problems and found something interesting.When i was retired by atos it stated that i had problems sitting down and standing up for longer than 10–15 minutes because of my spine problems,and in my own reassessment they never mentioned my problem because if they did [and it was in my notes right infront of her] i would have had another 9 points which would have given me 15 points.The appeal forms i had today gave you all the points system and how many you have for each problem.So it shows they try not to give you the points you deserve just so they can fail you,i phoned up benefits and explained what happened they couldnt apologise enough and told me to send in my letters that prove this and they will look at it again and please will i send back the other persons forms lol.Not good when ive got someones national insurance number,full name,address ,in the wrong hands a lot of fraud could have happened

    Comment by philip westerman — February 29, 2012 @ 7:21 pm

  139. Hello Philip.

    That’s like finding a police officers ID, obviously not as serious but imagine the damage you could cause the DWP ? you could be on newsnight or some other television program waving that around shouting ”Look this is the nonsense we have to put up with” ”This lot couldn’t pour piss out of a boot with the instructions written on the heal” And we could also imagine Chris Grayling and Iain Duncan Smith watching the tele in bed together saying Oh JESUS F..K please No, no, no please nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. With you looking at the camera giving a big thumbs up..!!LOL.

    Comment by dwpexamination — February 29, 2012 @ 10:04 pm

  140. it does not matter what proof you have over your sickness or injury they are all on peace work the more they see the more they get and lets not forget there get them off bonus so we do not stand a chance legal corruption thats how i see it can’t believe we are our own worst enemies the british are noted for moaning and doing nothing thats why the goverment does as it pleases we all have the wrong attitude ie ah well its going to happen no matter what we say the government is thriving on that attitude we have to change if we want to be treated with dignity and respect

    Comment by cliff — March 11, 2012 @ 4:57 pm

  141. Just had tribunal for DLA. What a joke!
    Can someone tell me how to put in a complaint about the EMP they sent out to my partner? He basically fabricated half of what he wrote! I did not know this until today as I couldn’t decipher his writing. My partner suffers with rheumatoid arthritis in almost all of his joints (hes 29 and had this since 2006), obviously with this condition comes pain and swelling (as the main symptoms) but according to their EMP there is NO SWELLING, but I ask you, how can he say this when he didn’t examine him at all? Didn’t look at his knees (the worst affected joints), back, shoulders, toes…. looked at his hans for about 10 seconds and listened to his chest. That was the sum total of his “examination”, not that it could or should be called that!
    We believe that the EMP’s report was a major deciding factor in the tribunal panels decision, and as such we will be appealing to the upper panel and I want to complain about the joke for an EMP.
    The other thing that bothered us was the ridiculous hypothetical situations they kept coming up with to ask questions. Things like “If your partner and son were to go on holiday without you, how would you cope with cooking a meal for just yourself?”, the simple and obvious answer is that me and my son wouldn’t go on holiday without him, but that wasn’t good enough. Surely something hypothetical also has to be realistic?!?!? This is just one example of the stupid questions they were asking!

    I could go on forever with my comment, but shall leave it there before I get too angry.
    Anyway, how do we put in a complaint about the EMP?
    The decision papers explain how to appeal to the upper panel so we know how to do that.
    Thanks

    Comment by kirsty — March 15, 2012 @ 12:31 pm

  142. Hi Kirsty.

    You make the complaint to ATOS themselves and don’t mess around with the EMP but go straight to ATOS Customer services. 4 Triton Square, London, NW1 3HG. http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=atos%204%20triton%20square&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CEsQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.atoshealthcare.com%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_enquiries%26Itemid%3D226&ei=_OZhT7qoA4-EhQf5oKCxCA&usg=AFQjCNFqO3qbXHKuhQMKR9fEeDC03RwzmA&cad=rja
    Expect to be fobbed of Kirsty, if you have a strong complaint though and they panic they sometimes (rarely) concede and offer compensation in the form of some money, and they add in this does not mean we accept responsibility, but as I said expect a rubber ear in the form of a fob off letter, and at the bottom they will say ”If you are not happy with our response contact such and such.
    Unfortunately we have to climb the greasy pole and that means exhaust every procedure to get higher and higher, the complaints procedure was meant to be as difficult as possible.

    The tribunal service is rotten with corruption Kirsty, like me you have found out the hard way, and I can tell you the upper tribunal are even more corrupt, they are all Toried (I say old chap) up to the hilt, not one of these Commissioners in the second tier has had a hard life or experienced any kind of deprivation, but don’t take my word for it, you will find out in a couple of months when you see how they word everything to side with the appeal tribunal.

    I’m sorry you went through this experience and also sorry that I don’t have anything positive to say, I know how angry you are because I’ve been where you are, It’s also very frustrating as well because your life is in the hands of these people, and in your heart you know they are not playing the game..!!

    I do hope you have welfare rights to give you a helping hand, you can even get help here at the forum http://dwpexaminations.blacktrianglecampaign.org/phpBB3/ Good luck and take care.

    Comment by dwpexamination — March 15, 2012 @ 1:14 pm

  143. Thanks for the quick reply.
    We live on just income support and child benefit/tax credits for our day to day living. We don’t want to but have no choice as I am essentially a full time carer for my partner, not that the tribunal saw it that way, they seem to think I choose to do everything for him rather than he needs me to (we have a 3 year old who is dependent on me, why would I choose to make my partner dependent on me too??).

    I do expect to be fobbed off but I’m stubborn when I believe in my heart that I am right and I wont give up easily! I’m sure the tribunal had made their decision before we even entered the room, but all we can do is keep going through the system and jumping through their hoops in the hope that someone will eventually listen. There isn’t any other way of doing it.

    I will be requesting the reasons for the decision (as it says we have to) ASAP, and also requesting a “slip of the pen” as they describe it, to be amended. (wrong year written on decision document). Lots of letter writing for me.

    Would it definitely have been an ATOS doctor they sent out? As I have nothing to say what organization the doctor was from, just a letter to say they were requesting an EMP to visit, and a copy of the EMP’s report (fat lot of good that was, I’d have more luck reading my 3 year old sons scribblings!).

    Comment by kirsty — March 15, 2012 @ 4:14 pm

  144. Hello Kirsty.

    If your applying for any kind of sickness benefits it’s ATOS healthcare who deal with it, if it’s at your work then it’s a different outfit from the same firm called ATOS Occupational health who deal with it.

    It’s not unusual to have a job say in the post office (they use ATOS Occupational health) hurt yourself and when you go for an assessment the DR declares you unfit for work.

    So because ATOS have found you unfit for work then you are forced to apply for sickness benefits, and you then get assessed by ATOS Healthcare who find you fit for work. You couldn’t make it up..!!

    And that scenario is happening all over Britain, if you ask ATOS themselves how that can happen they will tell you that a person can be unfit for their present job but fit for some other kind of work, some light duties like stacking small tins in to shelves in Tescos or picking up light boxes etc.

    So it doesn’t take a veritable Einstein to work out that this has all been planned years ago, in the future every firm will have an ATOS Occupational DR in there to get rid of people who are ill, and is also a good way to get rid of troublemakers as well, the first small accident and it’s down the corridor for an ATOS assessment and benefits follows with a P45 from the Company in your pocket.

    Then it’s down to ATOS healthcare to do their duty and pronounce you fit for work so you are forced to appeal or sign on.
    This Country is descending in to hell, and people don’t realise it..!!

    Comment by dwpexamination — March 15, 2012 @ 4:52 pm

  145. Ok thanks. Not happening through work, just applied after finally being diagnosed (after 5 years of living on the sick). Ive joined up to the forum so will use that if i need any more help or advice

    Comment by kirsty — March 15, 2012 @ 5:09 pm

  146. I,ve been through this process twice after long coma brain surgery etc 1st time 5 months after brain surgery, well you know the result it went to tribunal and was turned over, it looks like another assessment is iminent as I have been sent ESA50, is it allowed to take someone in to the assessment to film and record the whole thing, including the names of the assessor the person on the reception with all their credentials, as let’s face it, we are dealing with a Nazi mentality interesting that NAZI is a four letter word with two vowels and two consonents exactly the same as ATOS coinsidence I do not think so, fifty years from now there will be ATOS hunters out there as most Nazi’s are dead is Atos a Nazi uprising!!

    Comment by Neil Duerden — March 16, 2012 @ 10:25 am

  147. Hello Neil.

    You do have a point there Neil… ATOS – NAZI, they have made it easier to identify themselves as Nazis both through their evil actions as a so called health company and as you say their similar looking name. Also these Work is good for you (Work makes freedom) type slogans hasn’t helped them either.

    I hope it’s just a coincidence that your Christian name has two consonants and two vowels, if not watch out, ATOS might want you to join their evil empire…LOL.

    Cheers Neil.

    Comment by dwpexamination — March 16, 2012 @ 10:43 am

  148. after losing my appeal i have been told by my mp who put me in touch with some other organisations to send a complaint in to try get my appeal set aside , after being made to wait one and a half hours then having approximately a 20 minute appeal hearing , of which i was told by the panel they would have to be quick due to THEM running late as i never got into see them until 12:30 and i feel they had made the decision before i went into the room and 1pm is dinner and wine time for them , i walked out (well i hobbled to a phone box) on my family last week due to this mess , i feel useless our home is falling apart
    literally as i used to be able to maintain the home myself , my marriage feels like i am just married to our bedroom because i don`t move out of it , i feel lonely all the time , my wife tries to encourage me to look at what we do have ( kids and grand kids etc. ) but no good having grand kids when you can`t do anything with them , i don`t sleep with my wife anymore as no point due to cannot do anything but sleep,
    i have no life outside of this room ,

    Comment by d — March 28, 2012 @ 8:27 am

  149. Hello D.

    Did you have a representative at the appeal ? going in without one is very difficult and uncomfortable. So let’s say for arguments sake that you went in alone then you can ask for a statement of reasons from the appeal panel, that is an explanation on why your appeal was unsuccessful, when you receive it then take it to the CAB or your local welfare rights and ask them if in their opinion you can appeal to the second tier on a point of law.
    Meanwhile if you have a new health condition or a worsening of your present condition then there is nothing to stop you from re-applying for ESA again, as long as six months have passed when the DWP have informed you that you were fit to work. Since these appeals are taking more than six months to be heard at the moment then I assume you meet that condition.

    Comment by dwpexamination — March 28, 2012 @ 12:55 pm

  150. hi
    no i had no representitive due to i would need to pay my wife works 32 hours a week so she get tax credits , therefore cannot get esa even though i was forced into going for the physical examination of which i got 12 points and was given lots of nil points for things that affect me ? i have a degenerative lower back condition which will never get better infact it is getting worse , i suffer from severe anxiety attacks so take diazepam , i have a hyatus haernia ( severe reflux ) so need to be careful of foods i eat which costs a lot out of our meagre budget, i suffer badly with bowels due to the medication i take i either am constipated or have the other bit for days on end , i have high blood pressure took 7 months to get me a correct dosage to calm it down , i am unemployable i have been told so by 4 employers even to do part time work as my back rules me straight out of most jobs and the cramps and bloating and the other bits that come after constipation , mean i am either in agony or on toilet for hours on end , my doctor refuses to up my dosage on pain relief he says at age 47 if he ups it more by time i am 57 i would need morphine dosages , the back problem runs in my family along with blood pressure , my sister has same back problem also my mother did also my sisters son who is only 27 , i am just so fed up with all my problems it`s not nice being 47 and having your daughter clean the mess up because you cannot reach toilet quickly enough , and this causes me even more stress so i take 5 – 8 times more diazepam than prescribed? i see no way out of this mess until i am gone and give my family some peace

    Comment by d — March 28, 2012 @ 1:17 pm

  151. Hello D.

    Were you on contributory ESA ?.

    Comment by dwpexamination — March 28, 2012 @ 2:37 pm

  152. no was not entitled to any benefits due to wife working and getting tax credits , i had accident at work in late 2005 machine fell on me off fork lift truck , since then i have been forced by the joke center to put in for esa , works disability thing and dla all in one go which after 5 years of trying to get benefits of any type has confused me so much , as all paperwork was coming in and dla asked me for my esa results? so sent those in yet i got to hearing ready to battle about all these pages from esa dla etc. and was told NO WE ONLY WANT TO HEAR ANSWERS AFTER OUR QUESTIONS WE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH ESA? so right away i knew my fate because i prepared for many things and got asked nothing really except why don`t i have a walking stick? mmmmm probably because i don`t go out due to pain in my back , oh i also lost 5 years of n.i. contributions so my pension will be next to nothing due to incompetent joke shop staff saying my wife would get them paid due to getting tax credits well that was wrong so now lost 7 years because i cannot sign on as they will not accept i cannot work lol , you see it is time to give up

    Comment by d — March 28, 2012 @ 2:54 pm

  153. Hello D.

    Why haven’t you tried to get help from welfare rights or the CAB ? or a legal advice centre ?, granted your case is very complicated, but over five years without any kind of help ? that in itself is an injustice, you really need a real expert to go over this with you.
    Do you live in a City ? or a big town ? if so then getting help is much easier, I can’t believe you are not entitled to something, I’m not saying your wrong I just find it hard to comprehend.
    I personally can’t see a reason why you can’t apply right now for Employment and support allowance ? I can see how and why you can’t sign on, as I said you need professional help to go all over this. I apologise for this injustice on behalf of my fellow man D, this is just one of the things we have been fighting for the last three years, I don’t know when this hell is going to end, I really don’t.

    Comment by dwpexamination — March 28, 2012 @ 4:19 pm

  154. i had never heard of welfare rights as i never needed to use them and our cab office is a joke people waiting outside from 7:45am and they don`t open until 9:00am , i was turned away after spending about 6 hours waiting and told to phone for appointment with a reference number they gave me i phoned and they said can you come in on friday at 3:30pm over a week later ? waste of time they close at 4:00pm on friday ? i guess i never needed these services before and really don`t want to use them now as welfare rights said they would help me when i get my paperwork back unless they refuse the hold on my appeal ,
    then it is back to square one of filling in the forms which they will help with but i will need to go to their offices another expense of a £15.00 return taxi ride which we just cannot afford ?

    it is just getting so frustrating paying all this money out that we cannot afford to get nothing back

    Comment by d — March 28, 2012 @ 6:08 pm

  155. Hello D.

    Getting help from the welfare rights is a good start, the CAB in your area sounds dreadful, just shows how much pressure they are in if people are queuing at 7:45, stuff that.

    Comment by dwpexamination — March 28, 2012 @ 9:03 pm

  156. lol i had an atos medical 2 weeks ago..after the dwp told me i was disabled but they couldnt pay me as i might not be disabled in 6 months,just for the record i have 3 crushed vertibra and all lower flacet joints rub bone to bone which has over the last ten years caused me excrutiating pain. im wheelchair bound for out doors and only get around on crutches indoors.my main back muscles go into spasms every couple days which can be friggin painfull,also with the amount of back pain i suffer causes me to have cluster migrains..couple everyweek which i have strong suppositrys for,along with this for 6 years i had steriod injections into my flacet joints and had neural ablomination or spelt that wrong..nerves in base of spine electocuted to burn them which by jeeves is THE MOST PAINFULL process lol..after all this she looked around at end of interview refused to actually examine me physicaly only asked me questions..then when i asked her weather it will go to appeal she said im reccomending your not what they want…what the hell does that mean???? any1 lol

    Comment by alan — April 9, 2012 @ 9:29 pm

  157. Hi Alan, what you are saying comes as no surprise I’m afraid. Have you asked for the esa85 report yet? if not please call your local jobcentreplus today and demand a copy. They can not refuse you access to it and you must have this to see what they have written about you and you find out how many points they have awarded you so you can appeal if necessary. Please try to join our sister forum at http://www.dwpexamination.org where you will meet other people in a similar situation to your own. Please keep me updated with your progress and especially when you get your ESA85 report

    Comment by dwpexamination — April 10, 2012 @ 7:37 am

  158. thanks for your reply..i have a cab specialist doing all my paperwork and he will get a copy of this.i am due my decsion anytime from today..ill keep you posted,but i definitly was made to feel that im not disabled during that medical and felt like i was on trail for bieng in so much pain..it was a dreadful and demeaning experiance and i felt like my honesty and integrity was made to be criminal until proven otherwise.and that of cause is decided by the so called doctor with a clip board lol

    Comment by Anonymous — April 10, 2012 @ 8:43 am

  159. hmm just phoned up as i still havent got a result yet and woe and behold the atos medical person HASNT sent my form in yet and when they do mine is down to go to be moderated or something..checked before it goes to my decsion maker i dont know toooo confusing anyway this process can take up to a MONTH before i hear WTF ive already waited since october 2011

    Comment by alan — April 16, 2012 @ 6:15 pm

  160. had an assessment two weeks after surgery only had stitches out day before so mind not as sharp as it would have been failed and scored no points have the feeling that i have been to Lourdes because somehow or other they have cured arthritis and an uncurable disease in hands admit it is not painful but it will cripple you in the finish as there are only treatments reading through form when got it back it is one of the best pieces of fiction that i have come across

    Comment by june — April 20, 2012 @ 6:33 pm

  161. Hello June.

    You must have the ESA 85 assessment report then ?, that’s good, your next step is to get a GL 24 form and appeal, you can get help from your local welfare rights or CAB to represent you and you can pick a username and log in to the forum http://www.dwpexamination.org for help too.

    Comment by dwpexamination — April 20, 2012 @ 7:06 pm

  162. already sent appeal in and used solictors as advice cannot fit you in within the time limit due to all the appeals will leave a note when i get a date for appeal

    Comment by june — April 22, 2012 @ 4:06 pm

  163. just had medical for industrial accident ,been told i cant claim because iv got no loss of power or faculty in my back because of the accident,also he said on my notes that i got out of my wheelchair with no bother,my wife had to help me get up standing and i was in her arms while he looked at the 6 inch scar of my spinal fusion which i had 2 weeks prior to medical ,iv been diagnosed with osteoarthritus of the spine and just had all kinds of metalwork inserted in my back.atos are a joke this is my third failure that they have given me.i also asked for it to be reconsidered the lady said straight away we wont reconsider it then in my medical form they said they have reconsidered all the points i asked them to ,i never got that far to give them points they just shot me down so another appeal has gone in my third

    Comment by philip westerman — April 23, 2012 @ 6:27 pm

  164. I’m 33 worked all my life with adults with learning dis And have suffered with a bad back for a few years in November I really hurt my back and December lost my job whet to job Center to sign on and manager said go to docs he then inturn game me 3month sick note while I wait for mmr scan so they put me on ESA £40 week lol but better than nothing had MRI two crushed disks l4/l5 with server sciatic nerve pain then they put me on full mobility and dla I’m waiting for an opperation now and today I’ve had an atos appointment come though the door and after reading all your post they going to take me of it aren’t they :( ((((

    Comment by Mr A — April 24, 2012 @ 5:56 pm

  165. Sorry MRI scan I’m on a few meds lol

    Comment by Mr A — April 24, 2012 @ 5:57 pm

  166. your lucky to have been able to get dla i have failed 3 times i have lots of serious illnesses yet am fit for work ? i attended a job interview and they said i had no hope of getting work , just because of my back problem yet according to dla docs i am fit because i can smile and lift my arm and concentrate on what they say , biggest load of bollocks ever i hope they all suffer a horrible death miserable bastards

    Comment by merlin — April 24, 2012 @ 6:41 pm

  167. Hello Mr A.

    YES, if you walk in to the ATOS centre, just walk in, that’s enough for them to declare you fit for work, so the answer to your question is as I said YES.
    So insist on a home visit, they will ask you to provide some kind of proof from your DR, do so and get a home visit to give you (Even that isn’t guaranteed) the best chance of getting full rate ESA.

    Comment by dwpexamination — April 25, 2012 @ 6:46 am

  168. Hello Phillip.

    That looks like an another appeal you are going to win, what a waste of time and resources eh, it’s absolute nonsense.

    Comment by dwpexamination — April 26, 2012 @ 4:01 pm

  169. hi its ALAN,im still awaiting my reply from dla…only because ATOS has not sent my report in the dla asked them again 1week ago..still no joy now have to wait till naxt week when they will ask them for it again..then my ATOS report has been chosen to be forwarded to the moderators to check up that ATOS is doing there job lol..which means its at the modes for 3weeks after ATOS decide to even grace the dla with my review..what a friggin joke :(

    Comment by alan — April 29, 2012 @ 6:04 pm

  170. Hello Alan.

    It’s a lot of jumping through hoops, nothing is simplified and everything is negative, that’s a DWP experience..!!

    Comment by dwpexamination — April 29, 2012 @ 7:02 pm

  171. had my time in front of the tribunal today for my esa appeal,was originally given just 6 points,today they gave me 18 points won my appeal now i have to appeal to get from working group to support group,all this appeal was on my assessment,since then i have had major spine surgery to put in a metal cage,4 screws,2 rods and spacers and took my facet joint away to decompress my nerves total agony how can i work with that been told its 18month recovery time.but iv beaten them once will hope to do it again.was a guy at tribunal who has been on dialisis for 12 years had a kidney transplant but still they fail him.

    Comment by philip westerman — May 16, 2012 @ 5:48 pm

  172. Hello Phillip.

    Good to see you winning, you are saying a guy on dialysis was found fit for work ? that’s shocking, absolutely shocking, that panel chair is what the welfare rights officers call a hanging judge.

    Comment by dwpexamination — May 16, 2012 @ 7:03 pm

  173. Hi All – IF YOU SUFFER DEPRESSION OR FIBROMYALGIA OR ANYTHING ELSE THEN PLEASE READ THIS IT MAY HELP….

    I had a medical assessment yesterday by a Nurse!! I have Fibromyalgia and quite severe depression and high anxiety. I have tried to take my own life several times now, unfortunately people have always got in the way and saved the day and as anyone who knows these illnesses will agree…. its a silent killer. If you are serious about taking your life you never say you will or say when – if the demon grabs you enough – you do it. My Uncle was a fit man never let on or showed how depressed or desperate he was, he walked on to a railway line when a train was coming and killed himself we were all shocked – proof of what I say. I have worked all my life (in law) helping other people, loved and lived for my job however, due to the recession I have now lost 3 jobs in the space of 3 years all of which with the stress exacerbated my condition, I tried to keep working but it all got too much for me. I am not going in to the trials of how I feel etc other than to say desperate does not come close, been a single mum I have struggled 100% of the time – but I would like to help others who may read this, I was terrified, my son came with me, I have trouble with my hands and hip etc etc, can’t hold things for long, am in pain constantly, cry a lot, suffer sleep deprivation and worry consistently. On turning up at the center I signed the form and was called in. I was not seen by a Dr but a Nurse (or so she said), the questions I was asked and how it went as below I have to say even sitting here now I am shaking uncontrollably so typing may suffer sorry for that:

    She appologised for bringing me there and said she was aware i would be nervous. I told her in no uncertain terms that it was wrong and would set my condition back including my therapy. She said she appreciated that (admission aahhh – they need to be careful).

    I asked for a copy of the questions she would be asking (you have a right to these, though they do not provide them – they are to do with you after all) I wanted to make her feel as uncomfortable as I did, so ask for a copy it is your right.

    Before I go on I will say I did not take notes or take anyone in with me, my son sat outside – I suffer with a photographic memory which makes my life impossibly hard at times.

    I have read your form and updated myself with your conditions she said.

    She asked me if I am currently seeing outside professionals and who they were – I explained I am by way of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, she asked if my Dr was treating my condition gently, I explained I do what my Dr suggests as I am not medically trained. She wanted to know how often I see my Dr – again this is something that I wrote on my original form (see below). I was asked when I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and by who. I told her it was a specialist roughly two years ago. She then asked me when I last worked almost to the exact date and counted the months on her fingers – for me it was just over a year ago. Then it went on as follows:

    1 Tell me about your depression and how it affects you?
    2 Do you cry a lot? (I gather this was checking up from what I had said months previous on the form) (good idea to photocopy your form before sending back take a copy with you, and make notes of what is asked of you – take someone in with you to take notes if you can’t.) (A law thing)
    3 How else does it affect you?
    I don’t want to talk about the Fibromyalgia I will come to that……..

    4 Then a question that should never be asked by anyone other than a complete professional ….. “Have you tried to kill yourself”?
    5 How often a week do you think about killing yourself?
    6 How often a day do you think about killing yourself?
    7 How often would you say you would like to kill yourself?
    8 What stops you killing yourself? (When did you try to kill yourself and how?)

    This just takes you back to a bad place…. TRAINED MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS WHO ARE EXPERTS SHOULD ONLY TACKLE THESE QUESTIONS – A NURSE IS NOT A FULLY TRAINED PRACTITIONER – it is a well known fact that these questions trigger negative thought processes and can lead to you harming yourself – I know how it made me feel and I am struggling.

    9 What tablets do you take?

    (I took proof as in the empty boxes which showed they were all up to date and in date) I gave her the antidepressants, sleeping tablets, pain killers, calcium for the bones, tablets to compensate for what the pain killers do to you. She tapped two fingered away at the computer.

    10 Can you dress yourself?
    11 What accommodation do you live in? Is it a flat or a house?
    12 Do you have stairs?
    13 How do you manage the stairs?
    14 How often do you go up and down the stairs?
    (to this I replied I have a downstairs toilet so once down do not need to go up very much)
    15 Do you live on your own ?
    16 How do you manage your day?
    17 Do you get out of bed?
    18 How often do you stay in bed?
    19 What time do you go to bed?
    20 What time do you get up?
    21 Do you dress yourself?
    22 How often do you wash yourself or have a bath or shower?
    (I told her I have a walk in shower)
    22 Does someone help you dress?
    I explained that I can dress but it causes me pain to bend and put my shoes on and dress etc..
    23 How often do you go out?
    I told her I did not as I did not want to.
    24 How long did it take me to get there?
    25 How did I get there?
    26 Who drove me?
    27 How often do I drive?
    I have an automatic car but failed to tell her this. At this point I got slightly angry and informed her I am not in the habit of writing down how many times I leave my house, who is with me etc – these questions make you feel very angry again not good for depression sufferers.
    28 How far can I walk
    29 How long do I walk for 2 – 3 mins – 5 mins or 20 mins (she was keen at this point to try to put words in my mouth by saying 20 mins or more – stick to your guns – you know what you can do)
    30 Do I let people in to my house (what is the purpose of this question?)
    I asked her to elaborate on that she said “people to fix your boiler or visitors” – I am a little reclusive and I said “no my son deals with all of that”
    31 Do you go out (a twisted repeated question).
    I said I do – I go out to visit my therapist
    32 How long does it take me to drive there again she insisted – what 20 minutes?
    I said no it takes 5 – 10 minutes at the longest.
    33 What do you do if your son is not there to answer the door?
    I said I don’t answer it
    34 What if we came to visit you what would you do then? (this is what we call a leading question it is a trap – designed to get you to say “I would have to let you in” your brain is automatically telling you, you would have to let them in because they give you your money. If you are capable of going to your door then, you are capable at any time (you get the jist..). If you can’t open your door when someone is there – then you can’t open you door when someone is not – in any event and legally anyone who is not invited to your door is trespassing and you can call the Police (slightly different for the postman).
    35 What do you do if you meet people out?
    36 What do you do if they say hello to you? Do you ignore them and walk away – (I said this is a tricky subject with me and something my therapist is helping me to deal with) From someone who has helped people I now shy away and don’t want to meet anyone (panic, extreme anxiety closes in).
    37 How long can I stand? – 2-3 minutes, 5 mins, etc.
    38 How long can I sit before being fidgety 2-3 mins – 5 mins etc. Then trying to put words in my mouth she said an hour, I corrected her and said no 2-3 mins.
    39 How long can you sit and watch a film for at home (leading question again – you are home so you tend to think of a comfortable chair and relaxing space) again I corrected her and said no way less than 3 minutes which is true.
    40 Do I walk to the shops, I must walk to the shops.!! (Words in my mouth – I don’t walk to my shops I could not walk that far I live in the country) I repeated again that my son helps me and if I need something he gets it and i have my shopping delivered (thank God for Home Delivery)!!

    Questions ended and she explained that she needed now to carry out an examination which is nothing like the examination your Dr will do we don’t twist limbs etc!!!

    I was asked to stand put my chin to my shoulders, my arms out straight in front, over my head, at my side. I then had to put her arms up left and right, I explained all this I could do but it caused me shoulder pain. She then wanted me to bend my arms and put my index finger to my thumb, I told her I would not as it would hurt too much. She then wanted me to bend over and touch my toes, I said I could not it would hurt too much. She then wanted me to get to bend to the floor I said I could not and did not. Then I was asked to get on the bed by way of a stool lie back and bend my knees, I did my right but not my left as this caused too much pain, she then said and acknowledged it was my left side that was weak, which I agreed. I then had to ask to get off the bed as my back was getting very painful.

    Interview concluded, I did not let her go and pressed her as to how difficult life was for me and how painful, I explained in great detail the pain I felt and how at 46 I should not feel like an 86 year old. I know she had other people waiting but I wanted to make sure she was aware of how hard life was.

    She ended by apologising again for bringing me out and saying that she hoped my therapy would help me I told her Fibromyalgia does not go away it is with you for life and how excruciatingly painful it was She agreed and again said she was sorry, I would hear in 3-4 weeks and she was sorry for the stress it was likely to cause me, why should she worry she has a job which pays her well no doubt, how cushy a number has she?. I limped my way out of her office and gazed upon two more beings awaiting their fate and endless questions.

    All I can say to anyone who has that extreme fear in them right now is this… you know you are going to get chucked off the system no matter how ill or what your problems are – I know it will happen to me – self diagnosis – keep them talking don’t let them have an easy job and ask them to elaborate on every question (this actually can tongue tie and stumble) take your time to answer it and think “is this leading me somewhere?” you are told you will be there up to 60 minutes – however, you are entitled to YOUR TIME and you have no time limit after all you are unwell and this is about you, the Government are bastards no matter what party. They are like court rooms full of lies.

    My so called Medical Assessment has left me feeling like shit, it has left me questioning my life and wondering why I am trying to get better and seek help, it has also made me feel even more worthless than before, months of trying to improve gone in minutes. Worked in law all my life, vast knowledge etc all to waste. I just hope this may help someone understand and at least have some insight into what you may be asked, what to expect and how to tackle the situation.

    Comment by Mrs R — May 17, 2012 @ 10:47 am

  174. you cannot tackle the situation no matter how ill you are , you are nobody and just a piece of meat to these bastards they get a nice pay packet to humiliate you , make you feel worthless and just degrade you the last 3 days i have sat here with all my pills just wanting so desperately to get out of this shitty life of pain , i am in so much debt because my wife works for minimum wage and gets tax credits i cannot claim any money , i have to pay for prescriptions well wife does i needed emergency treatment on my teeth i had to sell my wedding ring to pay for that , i now have nothing left but this old computer to sell might get £20.00 for it , if this is my life for god knows how many years i might as well be dead

    Comment by dave — May 17, 2012 @ 11:30 am

  175. Hello Mrs R.

    You do have a remarkable memory if you can remember all that, anyway let’s see what happens when the DWP send you a letter, if it has a complete absence of delight then there are ways forward, but no matter what happens make sure you ask the DWP for the ESA 85 assessment report, at the moment they are sending what’s called ESA 65s instead, this is just a condensed version of the ESA 85 and they hope we will just accept it, as I said make sure you get that ESA 85 and see what the HCP said about you.
    If you need to appeal then the information on there will help you, on the other hand if you don’t need to appeal then you have a record from ATOS themselves which can only be in your favour.

    Comment by dwpexamination — May 17, 2012 @ 1:38 pm

  176. I can only sympathise and agree with you Dave, the welfare reforms as far as I’m concerned are a crime against the people of Britain, we (And the forum http://www.dwpexamination.org) have tried our best over the last three years to warn everyone what was happening and what was coming, but few people listened and as each day went by we could only watch as people just sleepwalked right in to Auschwitz, on the train smiling and laughing as if they are all going to a holiday camp.
    I can tell you Dave for us it’s been a heartbreaking three years watching this and tried to help people (And still do) in all that time as best as we can.
    Take care and don’t do anything daft, we are in the same boat as you, and you can come on here anytime you like..!!

    Comment by dwpexamination — May 17, 2012 @ 1:50 pm

  177. talking to a freind of mine the other night who has first hand knowledge of ATOS
    told me about one person who went for an assessment
    his letter came back stating
    he no longer feels extreme pain on walking
    omitted to say he can no longer walk as has had both legs amputated
    so not actually a lie but shows how things can be turned around against you

    Comment by june — May 18, 2012 @ 11:11 am

  178. Hello June.

    Nothing surprises me anymore with that mob, they put on my ESA 85 once that ”I CAN OPERATE AN ALARM CLOCK WITH THE HELP OF ANOTHER PERSON” absolutely shocking..!!

    Comment by dwpexamination — May 18, 2012 @ 2:14 pm


RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

Gravatar
WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out / Change )

Twitter picture

You are commenting using your Twitter account. ( Log Out / Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. ( Log Out / Change )

Cancel

Connecting to %s

Theme: Rubric. Blog at WordPress.com.

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 204 other followers