Help

I am due to take my claim to appeal as I was awarded zero points by Atos doctor. I was just wondering if anyone could advise me on what organisation is besst to represent me.

I think I have a tough time on my hands as my consultant pshyciatrist wrote a letter of support which outlined my reasons why I am unfit to work but they the DWP still stuck with the Atos decision.

Please help as I am really scared about all this.

Hi Tess, I should get your appeal form sent off, (see Steve's notes for this in the ESA section), this way you will continue to receive your ESA.

Then start collecting evidence. If you think your GP notes, or letters to and from GP and consultant would help you, you can request them from the surgery. (they may charge).

Could someone who knows you write about how your mental health affects you on a daily basis?

Make sure you photocopy and keep a copy of everything.

Try and see a welfare rights adviser to help you.

Come back here and ask more questions.

Keep strong,
Rachel

Hi,

I also failed the medical and had to appeal and go to a tribunal. I found the tribunal people much more human and then gave me the extra 6 points i needed. It is a nightmare having to go through all this and i suffer from stress as well as brain damage from a stroke but it was well worth it. I dictated a long letter(took several hours) to my neice explaining how the medical went and what i disagreed with the doctor as the guy i had seemed to be in a different room to me and i also had a support letter from doc and consultant saying i was not fit for work. Good luck.

Thanks for your replies, I am dreading the Appeal. I have sent off the papers and on Monday received the copy documents from the DWP that have been sent to the Tribunal Dept. I read the medical report from the Atos doctor and I was horrified with the report.

I feel as though I have been accused of being a liar. Twenty five years I have suffered with Anxiety and depression amongst other things and have battled to get through every day, but on a ten minute consultation with a doctor who knew nothing about me, found me in her opinion not to be showing signs of depression and anxiety.

I am just waiting for the Tribunal Service to write to me now and then I can find out timescales of when the Appeal could be heard. Think in this part of the world Swansea, South Wales it's about 9 months. I have remained on the assessment rate of £65.00 per week.

Hi Tess, another thing I did was to pick out the top 5 errors from the Atos report and write down why they were wrong; then submitted these to the Appeals board.

They don't all necessarily do it but the tribunal asked me about these points, which was brilliant because it gave me the opportunity to put things right. (and to make the tribunal aware that Atos get it wrong)!

I could have picked up on more errors but decided to concentrate on the 5 most serious ones.

Best wishes,
Rachel