Atos Medicals - Questions, Answers and Support

[Frances Lengel]

Cheers equationgirl

In your face IDS

 

[equationgirl]

I'm sure he'll be crying into his weetabix in the morning, Frances Lengel

 

[toggle]

Oh right, sorry

have we been being too subtle recently?

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

have we been being too subtle recently?

Nope, I'm just being too lazy to read threads properly

 

[kittyP]

Prepare for the worst, but also for the proper result.

When the face-to-face thing actually happens, do what people say here. Take someone with you to take copious notes - or have someone come round if you manage to get a home assessment.

Look at the Rethink factsheet: http://www.rethink.org/document.rm?id=10911

It gives the points awarded for specific disabilities/challenges. You may be surprised how quickly they add up.

The note-taker doesn't have to say anything. In fact I've heard tell that a grimly silent, focussed note-taker frightens the assessor

Thank you. All noted.

 

[kittyP]

Nice one on the appeal (even if we made you do it!)

I doubt the DWP has the time, money or people to appeal except in the most unusual of circumstances as ViolentPanda has said, so I reckon this is a win for you.

The DWP does appear to be taking the huff so to speak if it loses at Tribunal, so if you haven't heard anything from them over the next 2-4 weeks and your money hasn't changed, give them a call or take a copy of your tribunal letter to your next sign-on date and ask when you move onto ESA. It will be on the system somewhere, they just won't have told you about it.

I'm dead pleased for you

God this is all so fucked up isn't it?

I'm totally terrified.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

God this is all so fucked up isn't it?

I'm totally terrified.

Disgusting what this bollocks does to people mentally

 

[Libertad]

Disgusting what this bollocks does to people mentally

It's all really debilitating, it's taken me four days to get to the staples on my DLA form.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

It's all really debilitating, it's taken me four days to get to the staples on my DLA form.

Stapling the form or removing staples?

 

[Libertad]

Stapling the form or removing staples?

Silly Minnie, I meant to get to the middle of the form.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Silly Minnie, I meant to get to the middle of the form.

Oh

Well I thought maybe you were stapling some extra information to the form or removing staples to photocopy it or something

4 days is impressive!

 

[kittyP]

Silly Minnie, I meant to get to the middle of the form.

Ahhh. I thought you meant it took you days to staple some extra info to the form too

 

[Libertad]

Reams of extra pages to scan and then staple in so far. That four days is with two of us, after a visit to the local DIAL advisor and the pdf from Benefits and Work that VP kindly sent me.

 

[kittyP]

Disgusting what this bollocks does to people mentally

I know.
I feel so stupid and ashamed of myself for being so scared but I can't stopped it.

 

[Bakunin]

The DWP does appear to be taking the huff so to speak if it loses at Tribunal

Which is probably why they're currently trying to make it mandatory for claimants to ask the DWP to reconsider decisions before they can actually go to appeal. With the little rider that there'll be no definite time limit on how long it takes for the DWP to even reconsider a decision at all. Experience shows that one DWP decision maker is highly unlikely to reverse another decision maker's decision in he first place, so many claimants will skip asking for a reconsideration and go directly to an appeal.

The Tribunals Service is part of the judiciary and is independent of the DWP (probably accounting for the high levels of decisions overturned on appeal). The party hacks can't be seen to go after the independence of tribunals directly, but what they can do is try making it as hard as possible to actually access the tribunal while then stating in soundbites that they have a complaints and appeals process.

What they won't admit to is that, while there's a complaints and appeals process, asking the DWP for a reconsideration is like asking turkeys to vote for Christmas and that they'll do all in their power to ensure that accessing the independent tribunals will be made as difficult as possible.

 

[Libertad]

You'll get through all this kitty, lots of help and support here.

 

[Frances Lengel]

I know.
I feel so stupid and ashamed of myself for being so scared but I can't stopped it.

The system's designed to make you feel scared and intimidated - There's no shame in feeling the way you are. They want people to crumble and have set the whole gig up accordingly. Try to keep in mind none of this is your fault.

 

[Bakunin]

Disgusting what this bollocks does to people mentally

What's more disgusting is that the DWP is fully aware of the damage it does and not only do they not care but they'll actively do their best to grind people down in the hope that they'll give up altogether. They know exactly what effect it has, and it's exactly the effect they're looking for.

 

[equationgirl]

God this is all so fucked up isn't it?

I'm totally terrified.

Please try not to worry about this kittyP. Are you able to write a brief sentence in your diary about the stress you feel, or rate how terrified/stressed you from 0(no stress about assessment) to 5(extremely stressed about assessment)? The more evidence you can provide the better.

You are not alone in this.

 

[kittyP]

You'll get through all this kitty, lots of help and support here.

Thank you x

 

[equationgirl]

Which is probably why they're currently trying to make it mandatory for claimants to ask the DWP to reconsider decisions before they can actually go to appeal. With the little rider that there'll be no definite time limit on how long it takes for the DWP to even reconsider a decision at all. Experience shows that one DWP decision maker is highly unlikely to reverse another decision maker's decision in he first place, so many claimants will skip asking for a reconsideration and go directly to an appeal.

The Tribunals Service is part of the judiciary and is independent of the DWP (probably accounting for the high levels of decisions overturned on appeal). The party hacks can't be seen to go after the independence of tribunals directly, but what they can do is try making it as hard as possible to actually access the tribunal while then stating in soundbites that they have a complaints and appeals process.

What they won't admit to is that, while there's a complaints and appeals process, asking the DWP for a reconsideration is like asking turkeys to vote for Christmas and that they'll do all in their power to ensure that accessing the independent tribunals will be made as difficult as possible.

Fucking twunts, frankly. They'd best hope none of them end up needing support.

 

[kittyP]

The system's designed to make you feel scared and intimidated - There's no shame in feeling the way you are. They want people to crumble and have set the whole gig up accordingly. Try to keep in mind none of this is your fault.

I know it's not my fault but it really feels like the effect of all of this on my loved ones is. And that I will be one of those ones that does crumble

 

[kittyP]

Please try not to worry about this kittyP. Are you able to write a brief sentence in your diary about the stress you feel, or rate how terrified/stressed you from 0(no stress about assessment) to 5(extremely stressed about assessment)? The more evidence you can provide the better.

You are not alone in this.

Thank you. I do type stuff up for my cmht which includes this stuff.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

I know.
I feel so stupid and ashamed of myself for being so scared but I can't stopped it.

No need to feel that way, it's making a lot of people feel the same

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Reams of extra pages to scan and then staple in so far. That four days is with two of us, after a visit to the local DIAL advisor and the pdf from Benefits and Work that VP kindly sent me.

Hole punching and treasury tags for me. Already bust one stapler trying to staple too many pages

(Also bust hole punch trying to hole punch too many pages)

 

[ericjarvis]

Got a letter from the tribunal (first tier) this morning

My appeal is allowed
The decision made on */*/2012 is set aside
I am entitled to ESA with the work related activity component

<snip>

Also, what happens next? Do I have to do anything or contact anybody or will it all just happen?

If anyone who's been through this or knows the system could tell me what's likely to happen next I'd be everso grateful.

What happens next is that the DWP put your case in what the Tribunals Service unofficially refer to as the "win bin". For around 2-3 weeks they will do nothing, and if you contact them they will claim not to have received the paperwork on the decision. In fact the Tribunal will have faxed them the relevant information within 15 minutes of the decision being made. However the bastards at the DWP will make you wait 3-4 weeks before they do anything about it.

 

[Greebo]

I know.
I feel so stupid and ashamed of myself for being so scared but I can't stopped it.

Nothing to be ashamed about - of course you're scared, this is money you desperately need and you're led to believe that even once your claim's been processed there's no certainty that you'll get it, let alone for how long. Enough to frighten and worry any sensible person.

You should see the state VP's in after he's had to fill in his IB form or DLA form - extremely low and grouchy as well as physically exhausted for at least a week.

 

[Bakunin]

You should see the state VP's in after he's had to fill in his IB form or DLA form - extremely low and grouchy as well as physically exhausted for at least a week.

I get very stressed and upset as well, which in turn does the same to Toggle because she hates seeing me like that.

 

[Greebo]

I get very stressed and upset as well, which in turn does the same to Toggle because she hates seeing me like that.

Hence the existence of this thread. Being forced to describe (in detail) how your life is ruined and limited by all the things which aren't physically or mentally working is enough to make anyone feel at least miserable for a few days.

Even if, most of the time, your life's bearable because you've found ways of making it worth living.

 

[Frances Lengel]

What happens next is that the DWP put your case in what the Tribunals Service unofficially refer to as the "win bin". For around 2-3 weeks they will do nothing, and if you contact them they will claim not to have received the paperwork on the decision. In fact the Tribunal will have faxed them the relevant information within 15 minutes of the decision being made. However the bastards at the DWP will make you wait 3-4 weeks before they do anything about it.

So am I best to keep signing on/going to appointments at the JCP and going through the motions of jobseeking in the meantime then do you reckon?