Atos Medicals - Questions, Answers and Support

[iona]

I Largely expect you to have three contradictory letters that will leave you more confused.

So if you're leaving them for another few days it won't really matter

That was my initial reaction too. I changed my name recently and a few weeks later I got three letters, all with the same date - one addressed to my old name & title, one to my old title and new initials and one to my new title and new name spelled out in full. All three letters were otherwise identical and just contained information about a slight change in the amount I get that I'd already been told about (but with the wrong date for the change, of course)

ION I've just applied for PIP. Dreading the assessment bollocks, but I had a good meeting with my support worker earlier today to go over why I'm claiming and what points I could get and he's going to write me a supporting letter, help with the form and hopefully go with me to any appointments.

 

[Ergo Proxy]

I Largely expect you to have three contradictory letters that will leave you more confused.

So if you're leaving them for another few days it won't really matter

Always worth leaving all things DWP/HMRC that may require time constrained responses or are probably nothing for a few extra days.....

Let that anxiety build to a crescendo.......

Do it! No don't just fucking open them!

It's a major release whichever way, then deal (or start working out how to deal) with it!

Better the Devil you know - than the one you're now being encouraged to obsess about!

I apologise for my brash and frank manner and expect the group attack to happen in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1...

These people have never received a DWP letter for your benefit but revel in your pain as so called helpers!

All they do is re-affirm behaviour which will cause you massive issues so that they can pretend to help you!

1st one on the attack except VP who can post a recent DWP letter

GO!

 

[Celyn]

Well, it's not as though much post is going to be happening before Tuesday, is it? And did you miss the bit about WouldBe having other health worries right now?

These people have never received a DWP letter for your benefit but revel in your pain as so called helpers!

All they do is re-affirm behaviour which will cause you massive issues so that they can pretend to help you!

That's pretty vile. The impulse to put the DWP's scary letters aside until strong enough to open them is entirely understandable, and sometimes entirely sensible too.

 

[Ergo Proxy]

Well, it's not as though much post is going to be happening before Tuesday, is it? And did you miss the bit about WouldBe having other health worries right now?



That's pretty vile. The impulse to put the DWP's scary letters aside until strong enough to open them is entirely understandable, and sometimes entirely sensible too.

No it is not!

They may be shite but they are not scary!

WouldBe will still be having those health issues but now they have lost X amount being able to deal with it days encouraged by your it doesn't matter days!

Sorry don't open any letters from the DWP until you are Ready!

when you now have to engage with a stricter legal process in shorter time frames and are struggling to get to the food bank because your benefit was stopped. Keep not opening those letters!

Remember this vile shit I've posted about how opening that letter is really beneficial to you!

 

[Celyn]

Had WouldBe posted replies to those letters, say, yesterday evening, it would not speed up their delivery one little bit.

 

[Ergo Proxy]

Had WouldBe posted replies to those letters, say, yesterday evening, it would not speed up their delivery one little bit.

WTF are you trying to grasp on to here?

the earlier the letter is opened the sooner you can ask for advice on its contents!

If this was any sort of support, advice or help board the answer to the question of:-

I have some letters from the DWP should be...

Open them now and we will try and help you!

I don't see that on this board.... more the opposite

 

[iona]

Ergo Proxy no one is saying to just forget about it. It's a bank holiday weekend though - before Tuesday post won't be collected, jobcentre and citizens advice etc won't be answering phonecalls... If a poster decides to leave post unopened for a couple of days, at a time when there might not be much they could do anyway and while also dealing with other health problems, then that's their decision and they should be offered support & reassurance rather than told what an idiot they're being.

And those envelopes can be fucking terrifying, ftr.

 

[WouldBe]

WTF are you trying to grasp on to here?

the earlier the letter is opened the sooner you can ask for advice on its contents!

If this was any sort of support, advice or help board the answer to the question of:-

I have some letters from the DWP should be...

Open them now and we will try and help you!

I don't see that on this board.... more the opposite

Is there any need to keep spouting your vile crap on this thread?

You know fuck all about my situation or anyone elses situation on here so what you would do is completely fucking irrelevant in this or other fucking situations.

Not that it's any of your fucking business but I'm at the stage where I'm
1 Waiting for an ESA assessment
2 Waiting for a PIP tribunal
So it will make fuck all difference whether I open them now or after the colonoscopy. If you can't be supportive on this thread instead of being a vile little shit I suggest you fuck off.





I got round to opening them yesterday afternoon. 1 was to advise my new rate of ESA and the other 2 were to do with housing benefit.

 

[equationgirl]

Always worth leaving all things DWP/HMRC that may require time constrained responses or are probably nothing for a few extra days.....

Let that anxiety build to a crescendo.......

Do it! No don't just fucking open them!

It's a major release whichever way, then deal (or start working out how to deal) with it!

Better the Devil you know - than the one you're now being encouraged to obsess about!

I apologise for my brash and frank manner and expect the group attack to happen in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1...

These people have never received a DWP letter for your benefit but revel in your pain as so called helpers!

All they do is re-affirm behaviour which will cause you massive issues so that they can pretend to help you!

1st one on the attack except VP who can post a recent DWP letter

GO!

You have been repeatedly asked to remember that this is a support thread, not a platform for you and how right you and only you are all the time.

Please leave this thread alone. People need support not your self-righteousness.

 

[equationgirl]

Also, if letters arrive on a Saturday morning, when no official person is available to assist with questions, will leaving their opening until the following Monday really make much difference? Especially as the official people will be contactable then?

Many people find those letters cause excess worry and stress - managing it would seem to be a sensible approach all round.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

I have put on a thread ban.

 

[equationgirl]

I have put on a thread ban.

Thanks, much appreciated. The poster has been asked to cease and desist a few times but to no avail.

 

[chainsawjob]

So I've got my PIP face to face appointment through and it's very soon! I had to change it from the one they sent me which wasn't anywhere near where I live and meant my friend wouldn't have been able to come with me. And the one they've changed it to is days away!!

A big favour to ask, did someone on this thread have dual recording equipment that they'd be willing to lend, it was a while ago but I think I remember someone offering? (If it's possible to arrange it in time that is). Thanks. (I thought they would provide the recording equipment, but they said that was the case with DLA, but it's been changed for PIP).

It's been less than four weeks since I sent my form in, so they've got their skates on with this. My request for an on paper assessment fell on deaf ears

 

[chainsawjob]

Ah, just read back on this thread that two separate tape recorders can be used.

So now to see whether any of the shonky old tape recorders I've got will actually record.

 

[WouldBe]

So I've got my PIP face to face appointment through and it's very soon! I had to change it from the one they sent me which wasn't anywhere near where I live and meant my friend wouldn't have been able to come with me. And the one they've changed it to is days away!!

A big favour to ask, did someone on this thread have dual recording equipment that they'd be willing to lend, it was a while ago but I think I remember someone offering? (If it's possible to arrange it in time that is). Thanks. (I thought they would provide the recording equipment, but they said that was the case with DLA, but it's been changed for PIP).

It's been less than four weeks since I sent my form in, so they've got their skates on with this. My request for an on paper assessment fell on deaf ears

Good luck but son't be suprised if you get 0 points.

 

[chainsawjob]

Good luck but son't be suprised if you get 0 points.

Thanks, no I won't be surprised, I think they're routinely giving 0 points from what I've read.

Ah, just read back on this thread that two separate tape recorders can be used.

So now to see whether any of the shonky old tape recorders I've got will actually record.

They don't

 

[iona]

Just started filling my PIP form in. Feels like a waste cramming all those painstakingly thorough answers with the exact wording they use in the points criteria into the little boxes, when I know they'll just ignore it and award zero points based whatever lies their assessor comes up with

 

[chainsawjob]

I know iona, the process of filling it in is quite soul-destroying when you suspect it won't be assessed fairly anyway.

 

[iona]

I know iona, the process of filling it in is quite soul-destroying when you suspect it won't be assessed fairly anyway.

They lost my last ESA50 completely and just did my assessment without it (the second one that is, first ESA50 never turned up - eventually worked out it had gone to the wrong country after they tried booking my assessment in Edinburgh based on an address from 3 or 4 years earlier...)

The assessment before that was surprisingly alright though; they referred back to the form throughout, only asked questions when my answers weren't enough and even offered to get me a taxi home after! So they can manage to act like human beings when they want to. Just gonna keep my fingers crossed for another apt like that, and if I don't get it at least my thoroughness can make their decision look ridiculous at tribunal.

 

[iona]

Halfway through the form, it's just occurred to me that fitting three lines of writing into every one (8mm) ruled line might make it slightly harder to get a legible photocopy before I post it off

 

[equationgirl]

Halfway through the form, it's just occurred to me that fitting three lines of writing into every one (8mm) ruled line might make it slightly harder to get a legible photocopy before I post it off

No harm in adding extra blank pages at the back so you can write fuller answers to the questions, especially if you have complex things to explain to them...

 

[Celyn]

If you're already halfway through it, you're kind of stuck with hoping that a wee bit of enlargement re. photocopying will be OK, and you can sort of take a different approach to next half?

I don't know, really, but the mere fact of being able to say "ah, now, it happens that I DO have a photocopy" can be useful.

Fingers crossed for you.

 

[iona]

I've been saving the "additional information" space for a later question. I did think about asking staff for a sheet of paper, but ime those tend to unstaple themselves and vanish mysteriously even when the rest of the form doesn't get lost.

 

[Celyn]

Halfway through the form, it's just occurred to me that fitting three lines of writing into every one (8mm) ruled line might make it slightly harder to get a legible photocopy before I post it off

Or, well not "or" as an alternative, more as an additional thing, these crushed lines that you are slightly concerned about - if you have time, write them out again in larger writing, for yourself so that you can confidently say" well, I'm sorry if the photocopy is small but I do have a copy of what I actually wrote".

Ach, if you have time, repeat the things wot you haz wrote even on a blank sheet or two, which you then attach to the whole thing, explaining whatever:

"this is a repeat of my response to page 4271, question 176, sub question 298, section c (iii) subsection whatever, as I worried that my handwriting might be too small and might be inconvenient to read.

And I would really hate to cause you charming lot any inconvenience at all, obviously,
love & kisses.
Iona."

 

[Celyn]

I've been saving the "additional information" space for a later question. I did think about asking staff for a sheet of paper, but ime those tend to unstaple themselves and vanish mysteriously even when the rest of the form doesn't get lost.

Hmm, ok does sound complicated, then. But IF you can't do the "many extra bits of paper" thing, you still have the knowledge that you will have taken a photocopy of what was sent and when you meet them you can read to them the tiny bits that they claim to be unable to read.

 

[Celyn]

Can buy a whole load of paper from Tesco/Asda or similar for approx. £2.50. But that's no good if it's a choice between paper and food, I suppose.

 

[chainsawjob]

I put all my answers on separate sheets, and hardly used the boxes on the form. Yes it's a worry they'll lose them, but I couldn't fit it all on the form by a long way.

My assessment is Friday, my friend (who I changed the appointment so she could come with me, checked when she was available and everything) now can't come. I feel fairly doomed, it's not helping my head atm.

 

[chainsawjob]

I feel fairly doomed, it's not helping my head atm.

I am the master of understatement, this has screwed me right up, I'm in a bit of a state (still understatement). Very upset that my friend who I arranged to come with me, had forgotten about an appointment she has herself when I asked her which dates she couldn't make, honest mistake, but hard nonetheless when I'd rearranged it to ensure she could come with me.

During my therapy appointment yesterday my therapist suggested I ring them there and then and explain the person I need to accompany me can't come and ask for a reschedule. I did. It says on Atos's website they'll only rearrange once, so I wasn't hopeful. And the answer was no. (My therapist was surprised at their inflexibility, I wasn't). They said they could note the reason I couldn't come, but would have to then send my file back to the DWP for them to make a decision on whether my reason for not being able to attend was permitted. And then presumably I would be either offered a further appointment or my benefit stopped due to 'failure to attend'. I thought the latter was more likely so decided to keep the appointment even if it meant going by myself.

Today I've finally faced getting my copy of the form out to look at, and I've categorically stated I need someone to accompany me. So fuck it, I ain't going alone. If I turn up by myself it's gonna be instant fail. I'm gonna ring them today and tell them it's not possible for me to attend because I can't arrange support to come with me. It's a big risk because it might mean they instantly stop my DLA which I can no way afford atm. But then I can presumably appeal?

Shit I've just googled this, it doesn't look like you can appeal against a decision that your reason for failing to attend was not good enough. So it would be start from scratch with a new application.

The DWP are very strict about this, if you don't attend then your file will be returned, they should ask if you have Good Reason for not attending, but if they don't accept those reasons then your claim will be closed and you will have to start from scratch.

If you are being transferred from DLA then this will be closed as well although you will get four weeks run on.

(from here FAILURE TO ATTEND PIP ASSESSMENT )

The person above had also rearranged once previously because they'd been booked an appointment nowhere near where they lived, same as me. They do this on fucking purpose. To test whether you can get there.

Shit.

I asked my friend if she'd be prepared to rearrange her dentist appointment to come with me, but she'd just received her ESA medical date through and can't face any more stress atm. Fair enough. I've had an offer from someone else to accompany me, but she can't make Friday either due to a hospital appointment.

This is an inhumane system Wholly designed to make you give up (which I nearly have done at several points during this process).

Think I'll still ring and cancel it, it's a gamble but there's a slim chance they might give me another appointment. Think I'll write a back up letter quoting what I said on my form about needing support to attend and also arguing for a paper-based assessment rather than face to face (well I had to ask ).

Wish me luck.

 

[fishfinger]

All the best chainsawjob
They really are a shitty bunch

 

[iona]

I hope it gets sorted chainsawjob. Are there any services, either locally or online, that you could ask for help? Shouldn't be the case but sometimes official communication from Professionals with Headed Paper gets a better response, ime. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you anyway

I was going to have a massive whinge on the mental health thread but decided not to, so I'm just going to dump it here now I've gone to the trouble of writing it. I'm not asking for advice or owt, I don't fucking know really

Spoiler: Load of stupid confused moaning

I'm not sure if I'm having a minor wobble or a bad week or if I'm spiraling downwards out of control. I'm trying to claim PIP at the moment (completely my own decision, although I do in theory have support - my meltdowns tend to be quiet and invisible so it's not immediately obvious that I could be entitled to claim) and it's a proper headfuck. Focusing on all the shit I can't do as well/quickly/often as most people or even at all, trying to give detailed enough answers that I'll actually get some help without exaggerating or feeling like a fraud...

My support worker is trying to get me moved out of the hostel I'm in now. I can see why - they have their targets and boxes to tick, and my giving a few clean drug tests and not constantly causing trouble or having the police or paramedics at the door marks me as an ideal candidate with my "low support needs". I can fake it for a short time, I even feel confident and positive enough to make plans on my good days, but the effort tires me out and I crash. I fall out of my routine, I miss appointments, I can't readjust my plans so I just don't do anything at all - don't wash, don't eat, don't take my meds properly, don't go out except to walk the dog down quiet streets at night... But that's not visible. And I can manage some stuff some of the time, so it's not like I need 24-hour intensive support, but by the time I do need help it's too late to ask and start making plans. I can't even imagine what effective, appropriate support would look like.

I'm scared to acknowledge that need, that I can't even manage simple, basic shit "safely, to an acceptable standard, as often as needed and in a reasonable time" I'm scared to keep doing what little I can to keep myself afloat, because then surely I don't really need more help? I'm scared to give in and lay all this crap out for people to see, because if I stop kicking and no one's there to save me I might just sink for good.