ATOS loses ESA & PIP Assessment Contract

tokenfield

Widelats wrote: »

Government knew all along what was happening, i see no reason why the con dems should be praised on this, nor Labour. I wonder how those people including myself, who had utter rubbish lies and false reporting on them, will be apologised to - not holding my breath.

My ESA assessments (1) and reviews based on medical evidence only (2) caused me no problems - the report was factual, basically correct and concentrated, as it should, on my ability/inability to score in the various descriptors. My health condition or how it affects me did not come into question as it is not relevant.

tokenfield

sunnyone wrote: »

I would love to work again, I am well educated and eager but what job could I possibly do as a deaf full time powered wheelchair user who has very limited arm/hand use?

I rarely use a computor anymore because I cant get speech to text software that can understand my "flat" deafened voice, my body is pretty much useless and I spend my time in the bed the NHS provide me with and I need 24/7 support from at least one other person just to manage to survive at the most basic level.

Find me a job please.

Could I ask what system you are currently using on this forum as your posts are clear and very professional?

rogerblack

As to my state.
Yes, I believe I could work.
However.
My current health is such that I am struggling to maintain the house.
Concentrating in detail on anything tires me - to the point often where I have accidents cooking, or make other dangerous mistakes.

I haven't managed to get up the energy to go out in several months now - there is no 'free' time - doing the washing up or hoovering or ... exhausts me.

Sure - I believe I could work - if I was given sufficient help - possibly an hour or two a day to do all of the housework, and mean I can fully concentrate on working.
And I would even in this case struggle to do 16 hours of work at home. I certainly would not manage this some weeks, and quite often would need time off after overexerting myself.

Needless to say - jobs like this that would pay for such help are essentially nonexistant.

I'm at the point that though I have fully functional legs, and can in principle run short distances, I found myself being deeply, deeply jealous of someone featured on TV who was wheelchair bound from birth, but was otherwise fit.

If it would clear up the mental fog, I would give very, very strong consideration to having my legs amputated. Even if it diddn't fix the physical weakness, it would be worth it.

Parva

Andy strikes again and Brassedoff too now. There's no doubt that some milk the system but the blanket statement that all disabled people are capable of some form of work is just wrong. It would seem that you haven't suffered the worst that disability can throw at you if you're of this opinion.

And yes, I can type coherently but only left-handed (so very slowly) due to medical issues over and above my hemi-pelvectomy (the loss of my right leg and hip). I can only manage this in 20 minute bursts. I suffer from dystonia (if you want to research that - that's the short name) and this makes movement in the wheelchair or crutches incredibly difficult. Indeed I've already suffered a broken wrist in my right hand after falling earlier this year.

I can't mobilise, I can't work with a keyboard other than short bursts, what job do you suggest?

Parva

tokenfield wrote: »

My ESA assessments (1) and reviews based on medical evidence only (2) caused me no problems - the report was factual, basically correct and concentrated, as it should, on my ability/inability to score in the various descriptors. My health condition or how it affects me did not come into question as it is not relevant.

And yes, we've all seen how well you have screwed the system and repeatedly come back to gloat about it. No idea why you get such diverse pleasure, perhaps the system is squeezing you now?

tokenfield

Parva wrote: »

Andy strikes again and Brassedoff too now. There's no doubt that some milk the system but the blanket statement that all disabled people are capable of some form of work is just wrong. It would seem that you haven't suffered the worst that disability can throw at you if you're of this opinion.

And yes, I can type coherently but only left-handed (so very slowly) due to medical issues over and above my hemi-pelvectomy (the loss of my right leg and hip). I can only manage this in 20 minute bursts. I suffer from dystonia (if you want to research that - that's the short name) and this makes movement in the wheelchair or crutches incredibly difficult. Indeed I've already suffered a broken wrist in my right hand after falling earlier this year.

I can't mobilise, I can't work with a keyboard other than short bursts, what job do you suggest?

Sitting down, using a telephone at home - tele sales?

tokenfield

Parva wrote: »

And yes, we've all seen how well you have screwed the system and repeatedly come back to gloat about it. No idea why you get such diverse pleasure, perhaps the system is squeezing you now?

Sorry, have I missed something? I've not screwed the system at all - I have worked with the system. And I'm certainly not gloating. All I am saying is that the many people that I have come across that claim ESA or DLA, the vast majority in my opinion are more than capable of doing some work.

All they need is the encouragement to get out there and take a gamble/risk - you won't know what you are capable of until you have tried it.

Nope, the system isn't 'squeezing' me, I'm quite happy in doing what I do - being forced to fend for myself - on a pittance from the benefit system and to keep boredom at bay has been the best thing that I have ever done.

schrodie

Brassedoff wrote: »

Stephen Hawings! A man who works full time; he is entirely paralysed and communicates through a speech generating device.

How much more disabled do you wish someone to be?

As I said, virtually everyone is able to do something!

At least get his name right it's Stephen Hawking NOT Hawings.

Hawking has a very very very comprehensive and expensive care package in place 24 hours a day 7 days a week 365 days a year plus he's a world famous astrophysicist!

As Roger has said someone in a PVS is NOT capable of doing any useful work!! Just in case you hadn't noticed Hawking is NOT in a PVS.

Also I suggest you do your homework as to what is expected from the government when it comes to someone being able to work.

zzzLazyDaisy

tokenfield wrote: »

Brassedoff wrote: »

I agree entirely. People don't want to look beyond the next ESA giro.

Take me. Based on the benefits that I receive, one would imagine that I am totally disabled. Yet if you met me you wouldn't even guess that anything was wrong - it's all about having the right attitude and a positive view on life.
I manage to work 15 hours every week, self employed and earn, net, just under £90 a week.

I cannot be the only one that is defined as ill (ESA - Support Group) and disabled (DLA HRC & HRM) yet is able to still pay my way.

But you don't 'pay your way' do you? You top up your benefits with permitted work. It is not the same thing. You could not support yourself and live independently on £90 a week. Your earnings do not in any way reduce the state benefit bill, nor do they give you any moral high ground over those people who claim the same benefits as you, but are either unable to work at all, or unable to find the sort of work that allows them to work from home around the limitations of their condition.

Further - as I am sure you well know - only the small percentage of people in the support group are allowed to earn £90 a week with no time limit - the majority of people can only do PW at that level for the first 52 weeks and are then restricted to £20 a week permitted earnings.

tokenfield

zzzLazyDaisy wrote: »

tokenfield wrote: »

But you don't 'pay your way' do you? You top up your benefits with permitted work. It is not the same thing. You could not support yourself and live independently on £90 a week. Your earnings do not in any way reduce the state benefit bill, nor do they give you any moral high ground over those people who claim the same benefits as you, but are either unable to work at all, or unable to find the sort of work that allows them to work from home around the limitations of their condition.

Further - as I am sure you well know - only the small percentage of people in the support group are allowed to earn £90 a week with no time limit - the majority of people can only do PW at that level for the first 52 weeks and are then restricted to £20 a week permitted earnings.

Maybe not fully, but the intention was and still is that if between now and when I am 65 next year, ESA or DLA was taken from me, I am in a prime position of increasing my hours to make up the shortfall for the loss of the benefits. It's called forward planning!
My disabilities won't disappear nor will my illness, but with a little bit of thought and compromise, I could become benefit free.

As for the different groups - we all know that the Support Group is basically the same as the old IB, whereas the Work Group is a halfway house where you are likely to be able to work in the short term - you just need a little bit of help to get you back into the workplace.