General Chat

I know some folk on the boards have had dealings with ATOS and have found the process stressful to say the least. I thought I would add our experinces in case they may be of help to others.

Our son is 24 and autistic. He has severe learning and behaviour issues. He has no language and requires 24 hour care. He will never be able to live independently or work.

He has been in receipt of Invalidity and Disabled Living Benefits for some years. This just about covers the cost of looking after him at home, Council Day Service Charges and occasional respite.

We knew that he would be assessed by ATOS at some point and the forms arrived last April .I can't remember how many pages (a lot) we had to complete, but it took ages to plough through and get the wording correct, stressing all of his problems. We also had to get advise from his Social Worker, Day Services helpers and doctor. All this took time, but ATOS were chasing us for the forms to be returned within a week. They extended the deadline by a further 10 days after we contacted them. We met this deadline and sent the forms off with all the supporting paperwork.

Then what happens? NOTHING. We tried phoning ATOS after 6 weeks, but they couldn't tell us anything. Tried again a few weeks later and all they could say was that it was being assessed and seemed surprised that we were chasing.

Today, finally we get a letter from DWP.

"You have recently been re-assessed to contriution based ESA and placed in support group....." etc.

Goes on to say that they have been unable to contact us by phone - we have received no calls.

The letter gives absolutely no details of any assessment made, tells us nothing about the process or any time scales. We don't know what the 'Support Group" is. Basicly the letter is useless. Unfortuneatley accompanying this letter is another 48 page form asking for all the same info provided to ATOS back in April!!! And they want it back within two weeks.

What a waste of time/paper/resources. Worse of course is the stress that this kind of letter we cause to many people. We are able to complete it for our son, but I'm sure many people open this kind of letter and find it very frightening.

A phone call to the DWP confirms that our son has been granted the ESA to replace his Invalidity, but the letter doesn't make this clear at all. I think a letter to local MP is coming up.

Apologies for the long post, and if anyone else is going through the same sort of process, my sympathy.

Andy

I went through this a couple of years ago to be taken out of the work related group and to be put in the support group....which basicly means they will leave you alone for a while...I also have no idea when I will be assessed again....probably soon no doubt

I really feel for you. I had to fight them to get placed in the support group when they stopped my contribution based ESA after 12 months. If I had never paid NI contributions I would have been on income based ESA which is not time limited.

I was successful (and I have helped others with their claims). You have to answer their questions but NOT in the way they wish you to ;-)

In your son's case it should have been cut and dried that they would place him in the support group where he will not be expected to attend work focused interviews. Most decisions ATOS make do not allow for individual circumstances, they believe in 'one size fits all'.

Thankfully in July my State Pension was payable so I no longer have to deal with ESA claims but I will have to be reassessed for PIP in place of DLA in 2015/6.

I sincerely wish you every success in receiving the financial support you deserve for your son.

Sue

What an ordeal for you all, and in my opinion an absolute disgrace that your son should be subjected to this assessment in the first place. I really feel for anyone in this situation.

Have mentioned before my sil was asked how long her son had had Downs at one interview!

Yet my experience with them was excellent, my big problem was dealing with the DWP, who consistently lied in their letters about contacting my doctor, which he eventually had to put in writing for me to say that they had never contacted him. Needless to say I got my money. But it was also made harder as I do not claim any other benefits. I was told that if I had other benefits coming in it would have been easier. What a ridiculous situation.

But it does look like ATOS could be either losing their contract or coming under far more scrutiny themselves, so maybe these situations could become less numerable.

I wish you well for the future.... <3

you might already know this ---Atos is a french company that is assessing our benefits---went with my son last week for an assesment with the job centre,had a good advisor to talk to he explained the system,we had already been for the medical bit----apparently there are 3 levels my son was given the 2nd,they are as follows,1st level you are fit and able for work,2nd level you would like to work but condition at present prevents it 3rd level you wont ever be able to work.
thats how it was explained,2nd level gives you support and stears you in the right directionto find out if you will stay on 2 or be put to 3rd level,you have to attend when requested ,unless you are not well then your advisor does a phone visit,if you are able to go to places and you dont turn up ---they stop your money.

wendy(lincs)

Strange that there are many who are told that DWP cannot reach them by telephone.

Strange too that there are chat threads apparently where people have complained that when applying for the results of a Medical Assessment have said that things they have said have not been noted, they have been attributed also to saying things they have not.

There was a thread about ATOS towards end of last year.

They ignore GPs medical reports completely.

ATOS must be making a packet out of us - they could afford to provide funding for the Olympics etc.
With unemployment amongst the healthy as it is, the money ATOS gets trying to get medically assessed disabled off disability and into non-existent jobs could possibly have continued to fund those on disability for many years, instead of making them jump through hoops.

Total and utter waste of money, and verging on harassment of the disabled.