Hi, new guy in a fight with ATOS!

[Bruno58]

i think these days its a crime to be ill
god bless

Hi london, yes it would appear so, they are playing a mind game and we are seeing the results of these unacceptable methods now, it has to stop.

One of the reasons I'm furious about the 'ACT'... the new assessment form and ATOS is my wife is also receiving benefit, she is terminally ill and mentally fragile, if they send her a form...they are so incompetent it could happen...it will cause serious damage to her mind, she has already been in an acute psyco ward as I couldn't control her myself, this was the result of a medical professional treating her badly...if you can believe that...

I will fight and attack whoever to protect my wife and myself as she needs me to keep her mind stable, its not easy even for me to do that.

I hope I can make a difference for all the others too, the war will continue...hope I can find the strength.
J.

[mikewales]

Have moved the thread to Misc for you as it better placed there

[Bruno58]

Have moved the thread to Misc for you as it better placed there

Thank you, I though someone would if I mentioned it.

Hope I haven't upset anyone, let me know if I have.



J.

[HazyMind]

Hey Bruno!

You have had such a bad raw deal with everything, it really is shocking that you have had to deal with this on top of everything else you have to deal with daily , it really is such an unfair way to be treated, I do think though that you are doing all the right things and hopefully the justice will soon come!!

I know it is hard but you are fighting for the right and you will find the strength as I feel you are a fighter (I am honestly so angered by how you are being treated!!) I just don't know how some of these people sleep at night!! )

The good will prevail here!!!!

I am not too great at the moment to be honest...Anxiety has kept me in and frightened, this virus has really washed me out, docs again on Tuesday as I have a few other concerns I need to get looked at but it is a daily struggle... Will know more on Tuesday I guess... Also am living around a lot of building work at the moment so it's not easy to get online but I keep telling myself it will be worth it in the end

I am sure you have not upset anyone by the way!! Also well done on sorting the avatar ......

Best wishes xxx

[Bruno58]

Hazy, I have had the virus thing, also the anxiety and unable to go outside problems, I did get through it and I'm trying to think of a way to help you do the same, of course, if you have been ill then it can take some time to recover and make some kind of progress, its like going back to square one but don't worry you can do it, I know what you mean about not being able to go online when you need, same here and others who you know are never around when you would like...tell me about it!

Anyway, some more news, a letter came yesterday, I've only just opened it an hour ago..return address is ATOS Liverpool but its from the local jobsworth's place...yes its Groundhog Day...yet again!!! same as before, they are asking why I didn't go to the 'Face To Face' interrogation last week.

For crying out loud they know how to waste my petrol tax cash don't they, how many times do I have to explain something to these people, I don't repeat myself...if they can't understand then why don't they say so...

Problem for them is ATOS and Job/DWP don't speak to each other overheard in a local shop recently...person works at the local JobC...get this...Quote.. 'the disabillity assessment's are being done by a private company and we don't know what we are doing'...unquote...says it all I think.

More to follow I expect but I'll try cheer you up a bit, had a laugh trying to find a suiable pic and that one there now might not last

I'll try and post a photo now...will it work? who knows! its an old snap of my dog, I had to take him to the vets for the last time 3 years ago, pic is over 6 years old and in better times.

Back soon.X

J.

[Bruno58]

Fairly quiet here for the past week, sent an email and some papers to a minister at DWP Caxton House last Tursday, another standard reply letter from them today, that's 4 now...I've seen this before trying to complain...they play a strange game saying my correspondence has been passed on to 'the relevant department' for a response to the matters I have raised...well, that's themselves!

This time the letter is signed by 'Goff Daft'...head of comms..it would seem he/her? is actually a real person...or is it

Checked and there is a webpage for that name on a civil servant site..nothing on his/her 'Blog' though. makes me wonder who runs these places

I should receive another letter from the local DWP office soon, they received my latest reply to their form on Friday 23rd, wonder if they will stop my IB this time?

Going to see a GP on the 24 Oct, a month I have to wait!!! now that will be an interesting appointment, I have seen this doc many times before, a female...but not recently, she is in for some interesting reading with the file I'll be taking along concerning previous GP's and surgeries, I don't think she has looked back before 2002 when I registered at this surgery...she is OK really and will listen to what I have to say, I'll be gentle but firm...as usual.

Changed my pic to reflect my mood

[Bruno58]

As I expected the "We don't know what we are doing" brigade (Jobcentreplus) have sent a letter informing that I am not entitled to ESA and the last payment of IB will be later this month.

The reason given is because I did not attend the Work Capabillity assessment on the 14th September. I am being 'punished' because of my disabillity.

Its a very clever way for the government to save some money I suppose, trouble is now it will cost them even more to keep sending me letters and deal with the appeal, OH...its me that's paying my petrol tax into the government's 'pot' which is then passed onto ATOS and the Independent Tribunal people and the rest we don't know about!

A contributor to one of the national papers wrote a piece in the 'Independent' recently...an extract here (I hope the writer doesn't mind! his name is Mark Steel)

"The method they (ATOS) choose is to interview each claimant, asking them a series of questions such as, "do you look after your own pets?" because clearly if someone can feed a hamster the're capable of driving a fork lift truck....during this questioning the interviewer taps the answers into a computer which makes an automatic calculation as to weather the claimant loses their benefit...

Maybe the plan is to turn the whole process into a radio panel show "Fit On The Fiddle"...The ATOS system has worked so well in the past 3 years that 160,000 people have successfully appealed against their decision...perhaps they'll use a more reliable method, such as rolling two dice and anyone who gets eight or over loses their money, or they could call people for interviws three at a time, line them up and go...ip Dip Dog S..t, you are not it, and the loser has to crawl to the Jobcentre.

Tribunals have cost £30 million pounds (will be more now) and that money is paid by the government out of taxes.

My suggestion...ATOS are called in for an interview by a panel of disabled people and asked to mime looking after their pet, then assess if they can still have their 100 million pounds a year or have to go and get a PROPER JOB.


P.S. Is anyone actually reading this...?

J.

[Jannie]

Hey, J, I so like you!
I too am in the middle of the 'fight' as it were, post - Capability form, (which I filled in n sent off in plenty of time, to reach them by 3rd Oct, they would have got it a week before that date, incidentally they'd sent me a letter in the middle of Sept asking where the form was as they hadnt received it yet!? What the f...?!) but still pre - medical, havent had the 'call' or the letter. (Some are getting letters with a random date ATOS have chosen, others are getting a phone call giving them the option of choosing a date, I prefer the latter.
How do they get hold of private landlines? Interesting point that. Through the DWP of course. But they shouldnt be doing that. I may have given my number to DWP/jobcen in original benefit apps which is fair enough BUT they should contact the person in question, ask, can ATOS contact you directly? If so, what method - phone, post, email, etc?
All good healthcare/support services do this for strict reasons of safety/confidentiality/identity etc etc....
We are finding out how "good" they are though, or if they are even a healthcare service. (Must do a Google search...haha.)
I have been involved in 2 assessments very recently, as I said, not my own, accompanying my son plus a lady I support as a mental health related volunteer.
My son commented outside that she looked, very "nervous and edgy" by me producing notebook and pen, and looking like my sons own personal PA, jotting down everything word for word!
Yeah, we know why, because I can compare it with the copy of the report we asked for. (Advice Ive picked up on the net, as people have found that some things have been missed off, along with - on medical day - dont have a bath for a week, dont comb hair, dont iron clothes, plus the one Ive heard a lot - base it on your worst day.)
I kid you not, people are desperate.
Ive been climbing walls with the worry, its not just the fact that the job situation is dire if anyone is actually looking but it is causing so much worry and stress for vulnerable people who really cant deal with it.
To give someone a set amount of money (and lets face it, its a pittance anyway, so any extra helps, I get about £90 a week, made up of the basic £67 plus around £30 IB,) and think they can pull a huge chunk of it straight off without warning is just disgusting and has even been dubbed "illegal" and against basic human rights by some experts.
I try my hardest to run a small car, not easy, but have been wondering if I should try to sell it now, looking everywhere in my life where I could make cuts. Ive cut down on food shopping, I never buy lunch out, hardly ever clothes and when I do they are from charity shops, nights out extremely rare, I gave up smoking a year ago, I DO have a tv package with a well known company plus broadband n phone, but I watch telly a lot and you have to have something of interest, and I consider last 2 essential.
They want you to sit in a cold house with blanket wrapped round you, hungry, bored, staring at the four walls. Thats no life.
My health has gone downhill, son and cat keep me going, yes, I feed my own cat, lol, volunteer work keeps me sane, (yeah, I know, they will say If I can do 4 hours of that a week surely I could do 40?? )
Ok, yeah, sure, I'll come home feeling exhausted, dizzy, tired, ready to drop, feeling sick, but still I'll have my evening meal to prepare and housework to do...and thats only the first day.
Im also sarcastic...I put on the dealing with unexpected changes bit on the form, " Great example, I cant EVER have a late meal, I spend all day planning when I need to eat or I'll have a hypo!"
Sorry youre having to deal with everyhting, you really dont need it, hopefully you'll win soon and gain the money you are most definitely entitled to.
Lotsa love xxx

[Bruno58]

Hi Jannie, thanks for posting about your experience so far, I've copied and printed it out for easy reference as I'm writing this post.

First point is the phone call to my home number...I've asked Cameron why he thinks he can allow this without my permission..he can't answer that, its illegal, I have it in writing from ATOS I will not be contacted by phone again..only by letter, as far as I'm concerened ATOS can go and play on the motorway..I'll help them find the nearest..M62...barstewards.

I'm am raging F'in furious at all this and I will not be intimidated by anyone, I understand you are worried and anxious at what may happen, a few years ago I would have felt the same but now I've had too much practise to worry, I can feel a little depressed often because these people are not taking any notice of my letters (just done a count of the ATOS/ DWP/ Cameron file I have built up... 21 pages) but I seem to always bounce back before it takes over.

Biggest problem is I have so much to contend with here at home I'm feeling the strain, still 3 weeks before seeeing the doc about my leg pains, I should be referred to a specialist for diagnosis as I know what the problem is, its not good I know that.

Kep posting I am always watching for more info etc...

Please try not to worry...I'm trying to cause a lot of trouble over this situation...I ain't finished yet by a long way...

J.

[oOclaireOo]

hi bruno

i'm reading! welcome to the forum! i am so sorry to hear of what you & your wife are having to endure, its an absolute disgrace that you are being treated in such an inhumane way. i admire your strength & courage, its refreshing to see, its because of strong people like yourself that things will change & others will benefit. i hope you get a resolution soon & that you get the justice you so deserve so you can at least try to live your life in peace.

take care, all the very best,

claire x