The extremely dreaded Atos Assessment

mazza111

sunnyone wrote: »

Why should the severely disabled who have a masssive amount of evidence to back up their claim be forced to have a WCA?

Not everyone should have a WCA, why should I be forced from my bed for one or why should a health care professional be forced to come to my home to read my huge file of medical evidence?

It would be a waste of time and money, the money should be spent getting the WCA correct for those who need them.

I thought you of all people would have understood what I meant by everyone. Even doing it on paper is still a WCA imho. I'm all for helping disabled people as much as possible. It does no harm to check up on people who've had an open claim for while. Even if that's just on paper

The words I type aren't always what are in my head. And I apologise for any confusion caused by that. I had a fall downstairs the day before I posted that and slept for most of the days afterwards, so the brain to hand just wasn't working. Couldn't even think of the word "football" when talking to the fella :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Gotta love brainfog looking back on it :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Morglin

JasonBat wrote: »

Cheers Lin.

I'm on contributory WRAG. I have no other income so should qualify for income based WRAG but I take it that is nothing I need to worry about now?

On the face of it, I'm not too bothered about which group I fall in unless of course they get rather unpleasant and unreasonable when it comes to the interviews etc.

What kind of training do they offer and what is generally considered 'training'?

Oh, well, you would qualify for IR ESA, when your contributory element stops.

As for training etc., it does vary - some seem to go on courses about CV's etc., others into voluntary group placements.

As I say, it does seem to be varying hugely between JCP's - some on ESA are interviewed once, and told to come back months later, and nothing done in the meantime.

It depends what you want - if you think you'd like to go on whatever courses they offer, and you think you would be capable of work, at some point, then this group will be fine anyway.

They cannot compel you to find a job.

One thing is now, is that after this week's fiasco with ESA, and the suspensions of reviews, you will not be reviewed for two years now.:T

Lin

aimee0763

Morglin wrote: »

Oh, well, you would qualify for IR ESA, when your contributory element stops.

As for training etc., it does vary - some seem to go on courses about CV's etc., others into voluntary group placements.

As I say, it does seem to be varying hugely between JCP's - some on ESA are interviewed once, and told to come back months later, and nothing done in the meantime.

It depends what you want - if you think you'd like to go on whatever courses they offer, and you think you would be capable of work, at some point, then this group will be fine anyway.

They cannot compel you to find a job.

One thing is now, is that after this week's fiasco with ESA, and the suspensions of reviews, you will not be reviewed for two years now.:T

Lin

I wish the OP all the luck my friend Cathy was on WRAG contribution-based her benefits stopped without warning nor did the dwp send a form for her to fill in to claim IR, they send her a letter saying a changed in circumstances and that she will no longer get Income Related ESA which she was not claiming anyway and told her about Mandatory Reconsiderations which there are no time limit for appeal and you do not get any money in meantime or you could claim other benefits which is Job Seekers a clever way to lure sick vulnerable people off the benefit altogether because on job seekers then they sanction you for breathing unless you carry all the rules and legislation guide on you.

Cathy hasn't had any money now for 10 weeks don't even know where to start to first her case, dwp wouldn't even give the manager's name they flatly refused, times are changing I am sure dwp will go private and we all know what that would mean, my local council name call themselves Business instead of Council they have been bought by Capita.

The dwp are targeting people with long term mental health, cathy was on IB for indefinite she's gone from that to receive nothing.

JasonBat

Hi aimee0763,

That is seriously wrong. One can't expect people with long-term mental health problems to get on top of these things. Not sending a reminder or something seems very unethical.

Morglin

aimee0763 wrote: »

I wish the OP all the luck my friend Cathy was on WRAG contribution-based her benefits stopped without warning nor did the dwp send a form for her to fill in to claim IR, they send her a letter saying a changed in circumstances and that she will no longer get Income Related ESA which she was not claiming anyway and told her about Mandatory Reconsiderations which there are no time limit for appeal and you do not get any money in meantime or you could claim other benefits which is Job Seekers a clever way to lure sick vulnerable people off the benefit altogether because on job seekers then they sanction you for breathing unless you carry all the rules and legislation guide on you.

Cathy hasn't had any money now for 10 weeks don't even know where to start to first her case, dwp wouldn't even give the manager's name they flatly refused, times are changing I am sure dwp will go private and we all know what that would mean, my local council name call themselves Business instead of Council they have been bought by Capita.

The dwp are targeting people with long term mental health, cathy was on IB for indefinite she's gone from that to receive nothing.

If she is still entitled to ESA, and she has no income or savings, then she should apply for Income Related ESA, and should have been sent the form to do so.

You can download it from here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/270934/esa1.pdf

From memory (?), of your other posts, it seems that your friend's case is complicated for a variety of reasons, and she should really get some help from either the CAB, or contact MIND (or similar) to get some support and assistance.

http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/

http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/index/getadvice.htm

Lin

JasonBat

I've decided to ask for a mandatory reconsideration in order to be placed in the support group. I sent a letter about 2 or 3 weeks ago just using 1st class post and have heard nothing back.

I rang up the DWP to check they've received it and they couldn't confirm they have. Perhaps I should have send it through a recorded delivery service?

I have my first work-related activity group interview on Tuesday.

nannytone_2

it is always advisable to send things recorded delivery but .....
If you have written to them to ask them to consider moving you to the support group from the wrag ( this is not a mandatory reconsideration as such) they dont usually acknowledge receipt.
I presume you have told them which support group descriptor relates to you and that you have sent evidence to back your claim?
It can take several weeks for them to come to a decision

JasonBat

Hi nannytone,

Yes, I referred them to the relevant descriptors and to the evidence they already have.

JasonBat

I'm starting to think they're up to some skulduggery. I sent a letter to them on the 6th March, using 2 first class stamps, and haven't heard a thing back.

NYM

JasonBat wrote: »

I'm starting to think they're up to some skulduggery. I sent a letter to them on the 6th March, using 2 first class stamps, and haven't heard a thing back.

Have you contacted them by phone recently ?