incapacity benefit to ESA

cit_k

sunnyone wrote: »

The change starts next week, there was a big article in my local rag yesterday where they are suggesting that ATOS will use community centers and sports halls so that they can increase the medicals 10x to lower the time needed to test all IB claimants, it will then only take 4 years to test everyone.

Do you have a link to it, or the name of the rag so I can search for it?

They would have difficult using sports halls etc - how on earth would they cope with privacy issues?

[Deleted User]

sunnyone wrote: »

The change starts next week, there was a big article in my local rag yesterday where they are suggesting that ATOS will use community centers and sports halls so that they can increase the medicals 10x to lower the time needed to test all IB claimants, it will then only take 4 years to test everyone.

the original plan was 3 years,and thats based on doing everyone when their current IB expires,of course during that time they will have to assess totally new esa claims and existing esa reviews
and of course they plan to start the new dla assessments in 2013 so they wont want a big overlap

one other thought,ATOS can only do the medicals when the dwp instruct them to,i have a feeling that if they get a massive back-log of appeals it will grind to a halt

then of course theres the very real threat of legal action against the dwp delaying everything.

[Deleted User]

cit_k wrote: »

Do you have a link to it, or the name of the rag so I can search for it?

They would have difficult using sports halls etc - how on earth would they cope with privacy issues?

the problem with papers both local and national is that when it comes to benefits issues they just dont have a clue

jimjams_mommy

woodbine wrote: »

the problem with papers both local and national is that when it comes to benefits issues they just dont have a clue

I think you are so true there as I'm of the view see what the goverment does not what the papers say. I was worried about the changes and sometimes you can get carried carried away with the unknown.

SingleSue

jimjams_mommy wrote: »

thats the name!!!! the woman was lovely!!!! she was so sweet and understood things i couldn't have a bad word to say about her. She was so supportive and told me of some of the things they could support me in future when i'm well to go back to work as i wont be able to go back to my old line of work. I know they get a lot of stick but this woman was lovely there are some good staff in the agancy's.

The new letter said i wont be sent for medial untill furture notice so maybe untill I go to ESA. When will that happen do you think

I agreee, there are some lovely people there. I have to go to work focused interviews as a carer on income support and my lone parent advisor has been wonderful, completely supportive in my wish to return to work in some capacity instead of just poo pooing it like my previous advisor, although in her defence, she was doing it with good intentions as she didn't want me to take on too much as she believed I already had enough on my plate with the boys care.

We did have a slight disagreement last interview though...she wanted to put down I was disabled and to help me apply for a blue badge/DLA and I disagreed saying I wasn't disabled so had no need to, which confused her no end as I am reliant on walking aids....think she now understands that I am as stubborn as a mule :rotfl:..and probably a little in denial.

sonorman

I have just heard that the new ESA50 (3/11 version) form has been printed and is ready to go out as from the 1st March. From what I am told there has been a lot of 'tweaking' of questions. Don't know what they are, but no doubt we will soon find out next week.