General Chat

Sue

If you are appealing against being put in the work related group.....then yes you do and you will get the difference back dated if you win

If you are appealing because you have not been given ESA at all and then win you will get it all back dated.

In my case I was reassessed while waiting to go to tribunal so I should have appealed against that decision aswell....I ended up putting in a very late appeal with that one so all was well in the end

Just to add the last medical I had was in 2010 but I have had the medical questionaire to fill in in 2011 and 2012 and not had to go for medicals

Just a question - do people continue to get their disability allowance while on appeal?

as if the first one wasn't stressful enough for you good luck x
i dont know how these people can live with themselves

Im due another medical in Apr next year!!!

Jules x

Jules the tribunal can take up to a year
quite a good percentage win

so good luck and try to keep your chin up xx :-D

Don't get me started on ATOS...Im waiting for a tribunal but I think I have more chance seeing Jesus than passing it...The person that makes the decision at your medical never gets to meet you!!
The money I get is being cut and what with the PIP coming in next year and the bedroom tax I have to pay plus now they are changing council tax benefit so that means I have to find more money as I have to pay 20% of the bill....I would like to know what I am going to pay it with...I will have to find an extra £76 a mth so that will mean I will not be able to afford a carer anymore!!!! I don't drink or smoke and my only luxury is the internet....I just hope we have a mild winter as I can't afford the bill...Last year the winter bill was £254 and that was only having heating on for 4hrs a night....

Jules...

thats shocking Sue x :-(

His pay equates to 378 claimants' ESA for a year. That's without the £millions they receive in contractual fees.

Sue quoted "M Breton received his massive pay out despite mounting numbers of successful appeals by people ordered to get a job after being tested by the firm."

The massive pay out seems obscene to me. Similar to bankers bonuses. Tesco is not doing well currently - wonder what Remuneration Committee will give seniotr management as a performance bonus this year?

The rest of the quote sounds like good news to me. It is terrible that obvious claims are rejected, but at least many are successful after appeal.

Just very stressful. And yes, I have been through something similar many years ago. We had a very obvious claim for carer's allowance rejected despite doctor and consultant saying it was "cast-iron" . Got it on appeal, and when we didn't need allowance 2 years later we had just as much problem getting it stopped than getting it started.

So probably this knee-jerk to turning down a legitimate claim was always there - just that ATOS have exacerbated the problem still further. :-(

Cooooeeee Diane, thanks for reiterating that we deal with our problems with humour, until it comes to ATOS. Nothing remotely funny about them!

Lobby our MPs? been there, done that and direct to Number 10. Why would you think that mass action would achieve anything? ATOS are doing exactly what they were employed to do and the following just chokes me.

The fatcat boss of a firm hired to help slash the benefits bill has won a bonus of nearly £1million.

Thierry Breton’s bumper payout means he pocketed more than £1.9million last year.

Details of the obscene sum paid to the head of French firm Atos come as David Cameron draws up draconian new welfare cuts.

Atos was brought in to reassess 2.5 million people on ­incapacity benefit to help the ­Department for Work and Pensions decide whether they are fit to work.

Mr Breton received his massive pay out despite mounting numbers of successful appeals by people ordered to get a job after being tested by the firm.

Very sorry you could not sleep, Diane.:-(

Sure you don't mean I think anyone is thick. But I have always found lobbying is very powerful if done in right way. I studied politics in 60's and did a paper about lobbying - and got an alpha and was even praised by the Prof. But I have never earned any money that way, and probably never could.

Lobbying politicians has now become very professional and a huge amount of money is spent by companies and organisations, many jobs exist etc.

I would not know the best way to lobby if I was in your situation, I must admit. I would moan to ATOS when they said I was ok, I would write a letter to my MP which he would politely thank me for, pass on and I would get a letter from a civil servant in DWP saying that they had received it and it was getting attention.

But I would say that lobbying on this issue has been unsuccessful since ATOS was briefed and began operating. From asking round friends, they have not even heard of ATOS and had little idea that all this was happening. Think it needs a charm offensive on MPs, more fact and less emotion. Emotion is the stuff of the newspapers, local are best as you can hide your identity better.

Just an opinion. I have only really become aware since coming on this thread :-D

ATOS, mmmmmm

What do I think ?

They don't give atos ( small print version )

Why am I here so late ?

Let me think ..... could be I can't sleep as FM is really bad and pain is keeping me awake.

OOPPS in case there is anyone who has no knowledge of what FM is best I give proper name ( Fibromyalgia ) and it is an illness like many other's that can't be seen that ATOS seem to think don't exist :-(

After reading all comment's made I feel that some comments infer that many peeps on here don't know how to complain or even be clever enough to have the knowledge to set up a petition to lobby there local MP :-|

Going off subject ( sorry )

I have brothers and sisters who think I'm thick and my opinion's don't count so I know when some-one is infering ( she wouldn't / doesn't know what should be done ) give us credit, just because we laugh and joke on here doesn't mean we are thick.

~~~~~ to Sue, Hayley, Joy, Rose who I haven't spoken to for a long time and hope you are all well as can be <3 :-) <3 <3 :-) <3

Diane ( Liverpool Lass ) xx

or in my cuzzies case
pick up both your false legs and walk to work ;-)

Not so much 'Take up your bed and walk" ( John 5:8)

as 'Take up your bed and work' :-P

maybe they fancy been a bit like jesus

when sick and disabled people are miraculously "cured" by Atos. :-(

Friends Just have a look at the "Do You Live in Wales?" thread. See what the OP has put on today after receiving his post. Very relevant to this thread.

Oh Jax That is so sad. Only known three people in my life with MS, and had never heard of PPMS. It affected them all differently, so I simply put my old University Principal forward as a wonderful example of how to fight against real adversity. And plenty of other heart-warming stories here on this thread.

Yes, I think we all dread suddenly being stopped from what we can do. I certainly have had anxiety about that as I can be a constant worrier, but nothing too bad has happened to me. The doctor said it was likely (statistically probable) I would get a major stroke in May 2003 - not what doctors probably say but I trusted him and thought it would happen. I just vbirually closed down everything for 18 months - no work, no money, no nothing. So most of 2003 was a bit like a death sentence hanging over me. Had 2 episodes where I could not focus and thought I was losing my sight, and he said those were both probably mini strokes. Have been in very good health since 2003, touch head. But have lived with very serious illness in my family, and that continues. And, no, it is not easy when it is somebody you love more than the world.

Good job we don't know what our future holds. At 66, I plan on 40 years of good health. And hope to keep fighting and antagonising for many years to come, but who knows...

Many thanks for sharing that, Jax. Will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

John

I agree CAB can do a good job helping people get the benefits they are entitled to....but they cannot stop the Atos so called doctors putting a stop to that.

As you have mentioned MS, I will now admit that is what I have (PPMS) and not one cap fits all with this condition.

Four years ago I did'nt know what it was although I had known people with it, and they always seemed ok to me. I went to see my Dr in June 2008 with a slight limp and the odd trip every now and again...I was diagnosed in the November and by the New year I just could'nt do my job anymore, I was a waitress in a very busy family restuarant...it was just too dangerous for me and the customers.

I went sick and my manager had no problems with it, but a woman I thought was my best friend was talking about me behind my back saying why am I not back at work,,,as she knew someone with MS and they are ok.....anyway I have not spoken to her since.

I was bricking it as I did'nt know how I was going to live, pay rent or my debts...plus I was paying maintenance for my daughter who lived with her dad.

I joined some MS sites and was told about DLA so I applied...No problem getting it as they wrote to my Dr and Neuro. Once my sick pay finished in July 2009 I had to go onto ESA...I thought I would have no problems as DLA was given to me.....yes I got it but the report said I should be considered fit for work within 6 months :-S

As far as I am aware this dept do not write to your Dr and they base their findings on what you are like at the medical.

It did not matter that I said I had PPMS (Primary Progressive) which you would think does not get any better...but worse, but these Drs have probably never come accross it before as only about 10% of MS sufferers have this type....mainly over the age of 40.

So just over four years ago I felt as fit as a fiddle and could out run most of the 20 year olds I worked with......then the $hit hits the fan

What a difficult question, Joy. It sounds helpful but don't think it would work.

I hope you don't mind me saying something that I know a bit about. There are voluntary groups that mutually help each other to claim the right benefits and help with paperwork etc. Have worked in the past with groups that help immigrants with visa/permits/benefits etc. The CAB do a marvellous job too in this area, in my experience.

But so many probably entitled claimants still slip through the net. It would be a huge extra cost if everyone was helped to understand what they might be entitled to and be helped with claims. And many cannot leave their homes for that help. I don't think the DWP would be right people, as they have to decide whether a claim is aceptable and also decide if a decision is appealed against.

do you think it would help if somebody from the DWP made home visits
regularly sort of unannounced

somebody who could also help people get the right benefits :-D