Home assessment

Well I've just had what I can only describe as a rushed and very cursory home assessment by a nurse from ATOS. The physical bit of it was just the usual arm and leg range of movements etc. The assessor just seems to want to rattle through the questions in an unstructured way and didn't really go through the information already held on file in detail. I was quite unwell at the time of the assessment as well and could have done with a slower pace to get through it. He didn't even like it when my wife interjected to support me as I was struggling. He refused to engage on a social level whatsoever and was with us for less than a hour.

My original assessment by contrast was very thorough. This was a joke.

Hello Cash

Sorry you feel that the interview/assessment wasn't thorough; all assessors are different, sadly, and not all are as good as they should be.

All you can do (other than keep a note of what you found at the assessment for future reference, including any mistakes you feel were made by the assessor) is wait until you get the result of your assessment. If your award is not what you feel it ought to be, then the next step is Mandatory Reconsideration (though I'm sure you already know this). and if it should come to that, then get back to us and we will help in any way we can.

You could, of course, pass your comments on to the DWP; though again, it would probably be better to wait until you get the result of your assessment.

Thanks.He seemed to focus on how far I could walk (not far and always in pain), did I drive (I can but don't unless an emergency and only a few minutes) and did I go out alone (almost never except in an emergency)?I doubt there's any mileage in complaining now so I shall do as you suggest and wait and see.

I had a text today from DWP saying they now have all the info they need to assess my claim.nthat means the whole process from being asked to reply and sending my claim form on 25 July or thereabouts has taken barely a month! This seems very short compared to what the normal timescales are. Added to that the brevity of my home assessment and I am becoming paranoid!

Hi Cash,

We find that the first stages of the process tend to be quite fast, the delay comes between the assessment and decision - often a wait of 8 weeks or more.

You can't draw any conclusion from the speed, or otherwise, with which things have been accomplished thus far I'm afraid.