Atos Medicals - Questions, Answers and Support

[culder]

It isn't quite enough to affect my benefits, EG! A new mattress is a very good idea, though, except that I'd also have to pay the Council £25 to take the old one away...

 

[ViolentPanda]

It isn't quite enough to affect my benefits, EG! A new mattress is a very good idea, though, except that I'd also have to pay the Council £25 to take the old one away...

Some companies include taking the old one away in their delivery service.

 

[culder]

Oh, I didn't know that! I'll have a browse later. Unfortunately, I know I haven't got enough for a Tempur mattress. I sleep on one of those when we visit my boyfriend's parents. It's fantastic!

 

[equationgirl]

It isn't quite enough to affect my benefits, EG! A new mattress is a very good idea, though, except that I'd also have to pay the Council £25 to take the old one away...

I just didn't want the evil sods to take back what they'd just given you, you know what they're like.

 

[culder]

Not if they know what's good for them...

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

I just didn't want the evil sods to take back what they'd just given you, you know what they're like.

It's totally unfair that they should be able to do that, as if you'd had it when you were entitled to it, ie. weekly over months, you wouldn't go over the limit

 

[equationgirl]

It's totally unfair that they should be able to do that, as if you'd had it when you were entitled to it, ie. weekly over months, you wouldn't go over the limit

Nothing about their system is fair though.

 

[Greebo]

Oh, I didn't know that! I'll have a browse later. Unfortunately, I know I haven't got enough for a Tempur mattress. I sleep on one of those when we visit my boyfriend's parents. It's fantastic!

You could probably afford a good mattress and a tempur overlay though.

 

[equationgirl]

You could probably afford a good mattress and a tempur overlay though.

The best mattress I ever had came from a Blindcraft factory

 

[Greebo]

The best mattress I ever had came from a Blindcraft factory

Good to know that. *adds to list for next time*

 

[culder]

Yes, I'll have a look, Greebo. Although I think even the overlays are quite expensive.

 

[culder]

Ooh - just looked at Tempur toppers, and they cost almost all of my back-pay!

 

[equationgirl]

Good to know that. *adds to list for next time*

It was a Super Backcare one. Absolutely amazing.

 

[equationgirl]

I have to admit, I'm not a fan of tempur mattresses myself, doesn't seem to help my particular back problem.

 

[Greebo]

Ooh - just looked at Tempur toppers, and they cost almost all of my back-pay!

Even a 2" generic one, or would that be too thin?

 

[equationgirl]

Early Day Motion 295 (Atos) now has the 11th highest number of signatures for all EDMs so far this session, and STILL no sign of my MP actually signing it

EDM No.​

​

Title​

​

Primary Sponsor​

​

Signatures​

​

Early day motion46​

FUNDING FOR THE THALIDOMIDE VICTIMS PILOT SCHEME​

Meale, Alan​

175​

Early day motion47​

REDUCING FUEL BILLS THROUGH ENERGY EFFICIENCY​

Aldous, Peter​

130​

Early day motion54​

SCHOOL FOOD STANDARDS​

Goldsmith, Zac​

105​

Early day motion55​

LOCALISATION OF PUBLIC SECTOR PAY​

Lloyd, Tony​

103​

Early day motion132​

BEECROFT REPORT'S PROPOSAL FOR NO FAULT DISMISSAL​

Love, Andrew​

98​

Early day motion193​

TRANSPOSITION OF EU DIRECTIVE 2010/63/EU AND ANIMAL EXPERIMENTS​

Sanders, Adrian​

92​

Early day motion31​

VAT ON STATIC HOLIDAY CARAVANS​

Stuart, Graham​

86​

Early day motion96​

TRIDENT REPLACEMENT​

Corbyn, Jeremy​

85​

Early day motion104​

RAF BOMBER COMMAND MEMORIAL - HYDE PARK CORNER​

McCartney, Karl​

74​

Early day motion60​

AIR AMBULANCE SERVICES​

Bayley, Hugh​

73​

Early day motion295​

ATOS​

McDonnell, John​

71​

Early day motion174​

AIR PASSENGER DUTY​

Stringer, Graham​

66​

 

[Frances Lengel]

Now then, a friend of mine's got a medical at the end of this month and, hopefully, she'll pass coz her physical health is pretty poor, but, if she fails, what I'd like to know is what's the procedure for an appeal? Have I got this right, first of all you ask for a review of the original decision, then you appeal? And do you continue getting paid in the interim, before the appeal is heard?

Sorry if any of this has been asked before.

 

[Greebo]

Now then, a friend of mine's got a medical at the end of this month and, hopefully, she'll pass coz her physical health is pretty poor, but, if she fails, what I'd like to know is what's the procedure for an appeal? Have I got this right, first of all you ask for a review of the original decision, then you appeal? And do you continue getting paid in the interim, before the appeal is heard?

Sorry if any of this has been asked before.

Payment of whatever you were entitled to ceases on the day which the DWP decides you're not entitled to it. if you win your review (or appeal, if it comes to that) you'll get a backpayment.

You have exactly one month to ask for an appeal from the day on which the decision was made by the DWP. NB this isn't the date on which you receive the letter telling you their decision, which could have taken a fortnight (aka "10 working days") to reach you.

So...1) Contact the CAB/disability rights people etc, and take all your paperwork with you. Ask them for help.
2) Request a review of the decision and state exactly why, giving evidence to back up your request. Tempting as it may be, "I can't believe that you could have read my form and believe that I don't meet any of the criteria at all you muppet, what the hell is wrong with you people?" is not reason enough for a review. Instead, try something like "you have decided I need no help cooking and preparing a main meal for myself. I believe your decision is wrong because I'm unable to lift pans without severe pain, can't work the controls on the cooker, and the last time I tried to chop anything it shot out of my hand".
3)Prepare for war (aka the appeal). If you win the review, that's great. If you don't, you'll have gained extra time needed to gather as much as you need for the appeal.

 

[Glitter]

You receive ESA whilst the appeal is in. You might have to request it though

 

[cesare]

You receive ESA whilst the appeal is in. You might have to request it though

Has it changed recently? Friend of mine had ESA stopped after assessment and is going through appeal process now but no ESA in meantime.

 

[Greebo]

While I think of it, you'll need to request a copy of the medical report, as it'll probably show something which contradicted what the claimant put on the form. If in doubt, the DWP are inclined to believed whoever did the medical.

 

[Glitter]

Has it changed recently? Friend of mine had ESA stopped after assessment and is going through appeal process now but no ESA in meantime.

No. They just don't tell you.

Get her to call them. Once the appeal is in it should be in ayment.

 

[Glitter]

Has it changed recently? Friend of mine had ESA stopped after assessment and is going through appeal process now but no ESA in meantime.

Here's a link to it

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/engla..._an_employment_and_support_allowance_decision

 

[cesare]

No. They just don't tell you.

Get her to call them. Once the appeal is in it should be in ayment.

Ta, I'll get him to call, thanks.

 

[Frances Lengel]

Thanks everyone who replied

 

[audiotech]

If she is assessed as "fit for work" and believes she isn't, then she needs to see her GP as quickly as possible for a medical certificate to state this. Send in the medical certificate and the subsequent appeal form which will be received making her aware of the decision made, based on the WCA carried out by Atos Healthcare straight away. The claimant will then receive the lower rate of ESA, without the extra component, until the date of the appeal.

Meanwhile, under the provisions of the Data Protection Act ask for a copy of the report and all relevant documentation relating to the decision made. If the claimant has difficulty reading the notes made by the Atos practitioner at the assessment attended, then request these to be transcribed and type written, if they refuse then a request can me made to the appeals Tribunal, who can order the DWP to do this.

 

[captainmission]

It's totally unfair that they should be able to do that, as if you'd had it when you were entitled to it, ie. weekly over months, you wouldn't go over the limit

Back pay of ESA (or dla, JSA, tax credits, HB) is ignored as capital for 52 weeks anyway. So even if someone is over the capital limit there's pleanty of time for it to 'diminish'.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Back pay of ESA (or dla, JSA, tax credits, HB) is ignored as capital for 52 weeks anyway. So even if someone is over the capital limit there's pleanty of time for it to 'diminish'.

Oh, never realised that

 

[yardbird]

Back pay of ESA (or dla, JSA, tax credits, HB) is ignored as capital for 52 weeks anyway. So even if someone is over the capital limit there's pleanty of time for it to 'diminish'.

When I had my result re my ESA and they paid me four year's shortages in one hit, I inquired what would happen if it took me over a threshold.
I was told that I would not be affected as the error was theirs.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

When I had my result re my ESA and they paid me four year's shortages in one hit, I inquired what would happen if it took me over a threshold.
I was told that I would not be affected as the error was theirs.

But did they not say for how long you wouldn't be affected? I'd check that I would