Atos assesment - how long after will I hear?

tilly-roo

Hi there -

Got my appointment letter through for the dreaded atos assessment the other day and I am just wondering how long after I attend the assessment might I hear the decision? I, like most people I am assuming, am stressing out and am trying to plan for the worse case scenario (having all money stopped completely) so I'm trying to find out roughly how long it will take.

Also, I see a lot of people talking about a form to fill in before the assessment - does everybody have this? I did not receive a form with my letter and I'm concerned there may have been a mistake and it might hinder the outcome as I have lots of medical evidence etc that I feel I should be sending in before hand? Or do I just take this all with me?

And one last thing, I am just wondering if anybody has any experience with t1 diabetes complications (mostly severe retinopathy/partial blindness and neuropathy) and the atos assesment. I just don't know what to expect, I'm guessing the person assesming me won'[t have a clue about diabetes? Sorry to waffle on, thank you in advance for any advice!

schrodie

Are you saying that you didn't submit an ESA50 form before being called for an Work Capability Assessment?

rogerblack

Not everyone gets a form.
The vast majority of people will.
The DWPs responsibilities in law are almost all around what it must prove to not give people benefit.
If they wish, they could turn up at shopping centres, and say 'you're looking a bit ill, tick this box' - and then give people ESA.

The process tends to be varied in more cases for those with conditions that the DWP consider likely to entitle the claimant to the support group.

schrodie

So you can be called for a WCA even though the DWP haven't issued you with an ESA50?

tilly-roo

schrodie - no, I wasn't sent a form. Just a letter with an appointment on it, hence my surprise. I haven't been given a lot of notice either so I'm flustering about trying to get medical notes sent to me - such a pain. I am just fretting about what I will do if they take away all my money with absolutely no warning, I'd be at risk of losing my home.

schrodie

tilly-roo wrote: »

schrodie - no, I wasn't sent a form. Just a letter with an appointment on it, hence my surprise. I haven't been given a lot of notice either so I'm flustering about trying to get medical notes sent to me - such a pain. I am just fretting about what I will do if they take away all my money with absolutely no warning, I'd be at risk of losing my home.

I'd be tempted to telephone the JCP office dealing with your claim and ask them what's going on or telephone Atos and ask them.

At least then you'll hopefully know.

tilly-roo

Thanks for the advice, think I will definitely give them a ring. Does anybody know how soon after the assesment I might hear of the decision and how soon the payments are stopped?

SandraScarlett

My friend heard in about 10 days - that her HRC and LRM DLA had stopped. She telephoned immediately, and the person she spoke to even agreed that to go from that to nothing was harsh. She gave all her reasons to have the case "looked at again" over the phone, and then sent a confirmation letter, detailing all this, the next day.

I know she phoned yesterday, and they said it could be the middle/end of May, before she hears from them, so, as you say, it's best to be prepared for being without funds.

Good Luck.

xx

Bootsalebargains

My husband had his assessment in february and letter 3 weeks later, his condition has been caused by 30 years of diabetes, has the conditions you mentioned and also leg amputation (uses an electric wheelchair) and renal failure, was on dialysis until he had a double transplant 2 years ago. They had a renal nurse to do his assessment but couldn't do it as it turned out to be a nurse that used to look after him, he got a lady to do the assessment but she never examined him, they went on a letter we took with us from transplant co ordinator which listed all his conditions and got put in the support group for 3 years

I did phone up a week after assessment asking for a copy of the medical report and this arrived a week before the official letter.

tilly-roo

Bootsalebargains wrote: »

My husband had his assessment in february and letter 3 weeks later, his condition has been caused by 30 years of diabetes, has the conditions you mentioned and also leg amputation (uses an electric wheelchair) and renal failure, was on dialysis until he had a double transplant 2 years ago. They had a renal nurse to do his assessment but couldn't do it as it turned out to be a nurse that used to look after him, he got a lady to do the assessment but she never examined him, they went on a letter we took with us from transplant co ordinator which listed all his conditions and got put in the support group for 3 years

I did phone up a week after assessment asking for a copy of the medical report and this arrived a week before the official letter.

Thank you so much for your help. Until July of last year I had 5% vision and whilst I have some of my vision back now it's still not completely stable, as is nothing in the world of diabetes complications. I'm going to try and take as much evidence of all my eye stuff as I can manage to take but because they only sent me a letter last week just under 2 weeks isn't long enough to go through the process of having notes sent to you etc and the consultants that treat us are probably snowed under with these sorts of requests because of all the ATOS assessments. Thanks for your help though it's really helpful!

Bootsalebargains

tilly-roo wrote: »

Thank you so much for your help. Until July of last year I had 5% vision and whilst I have some of my vision back now it's still not completely stable, as is nothing in the world of diabetes complications. I'm going to try and take as much evidence of all my eye stuff as I can manage to take but because they only sent me a letter last week just under 2 weeks isn't long enough to go through the process of having notes sent to you etc and the consultants that treat us are probably snowed under with these sorts of requests because of all the ATOS assessments. Thanks for your help though it's really helpful!

They didn't give us much notice either, received the letter on the Monday for medical on the Friday. We were just so lucky the transplant co ordinator was so helpful, our gp was useless, when we asked for a list of medical condtions his amputation, neuropathy or patially sighted wasn't listed and on his mediaction they didn't have down his anti rejecton drugs.
I hope everything goes well.