ATOS 'lost your form but will asses anyway'

I am a full-time Carer of someone with Mental Health problems.

Made a PIP claim. Expecting an ATOS Home Visit in 2 days.

Just had a phone call from one of their Mental Health Nurses. Stating they are not making the Home Visit now, instead will make the report to DWP "based on the evidence I have and after talking to a doctor at X's practice." Seemed in a hurry.

Then amazingly, stated "none of the Appendixes (further Information) pages mentioned in X's form are before me, BUT THAT DOES NOT MATTER"

I asked where the Appendix pages were. She did not know. Suspiciously, she DID have some of the Hospital/Psychiatric reports that were secured WITH the Appendix forms...

I was dumbstruck, ALL the medical information providing the help X needs was on these Appendixes, a bunch of extra sheets, stapled to the main form. X has deteriorated some and we have now made a claim that has info not previously mentioned.

This ATOS nurse, effectively said she was ordered by her manager, to make the report to the DWP based just on the information she has at hand, including the PIP claim form which was missing 99 percent of the content as they could not account for the omission of the detailed Appendix pages..

I suspected a screw-job in operation here. And I stated as much to this ATOS-hired nurse.

I was told "you could always appeal"

I blew my stack at this point as that means X may be kicked off PIP and spend at least a year or more totally destitute while an Appeal is even started.

As X's Carer, I flat refused to go long with this. Told her she WILL NOT complete her "report to the DWP" without having ALL of the claim form at hand. Selective omission of Data by ATOS or a DWP agents handling X's PIP form this way is a form of Fraud. I also suspect selective omission of Data this way, breaches Data Protection legislation.

The nurse said she will get her manager to call me back within half an hour. That was an hour ago...and it's Friday.

X is now more ill than I have ever seen before with the stress of this. Anger does not explain how I feel.

Will update when I have it.

Hi Pol and Welcome to the forum, you might want to have a look at the following FAQ which explain where everything is

Welcome to Benefits and Work

I am so sorry that you and your friend are going through this. The process is stressful enough when things go smoothly but even worse when there is a screw-up!

You can complain to both ATOS and DWP, you should keep this separate from any further action you need to take about whatever decision is made on this claim.

Complaining to ATOS Healthcare

Complaining to the DWP

Your MP might like to hear how people are really being treated

Contacting your MP

You might want to bookmark/favourite this on your web browser now so that you can find it easily in future. that means that you can return with further questions/comments without having to start a new topic each time. It helps us enormously if everything relating to the same claim is kept in one place - and I hope you will find it useful too

An update.

The Mandatory Reconsideration process was dealt with the same contempt by them. Once again, they eluded my claims they have LOST the detailed appendixes of all the PIP claim sections, in other words, they lost the whole bloody form yet just went ahead anyway, with the mission to bounce us down a level of benefit.

Same points awarded as before, no change.

So we are now going to Appeal Tribunal.

Fwfw, GP was outraged ATOS are phoning doctors directky, to fire Leading Questions at them to get the 'evidence' they need to bump claimants off or onto lower benefits, without a home visit.

GPs should refuse any and all ATOS enquiries by phone. Speak to your GPs now about this. Everything must be in writing.

It's Fraud folks. Criminal Fraud.

Thanks for the update Pol - although I wish you had better news to report