Result! From 0 Points to support group.

Had a phone call this morning from the DWP .... my medical report from ATOS has been completely overturned/disregarded and i've gone from scoring 0 points to being placed in the support group! This was done at the reconsideration stage of the appeal process.

There is so much invaluable information available in the guides and also on the forum ... I probably wouldn't have achieved this result without it. Massive thank you to everyone involved with this site.

I was being migrated from IB to ESA and I made the mistake of not sending supporting evidence along with my ESA50 and went to the ATOS assessment naively believing that the system worked for the genuinely sick and disabled. After scoring 0 points, I initially felt so bad that they thought I was lying I was going to just accept the decision. I'm fortunate that my husband is working and I was aware that once the means testing kicks in I wouldn't have been eligible for any benefit despite me having worked and paid full contributions for over 30 years.

I then found this site and realised where I had gone wrong, I sent the GL24 off and started getting supporting documents and information. I sent copies in to the DWP as I received them and started putting a file together for the appeal panel. Even though I knew a reconsideration was a possibility I was still very surprised to get this result

One thing i've realised is that scoring 0 points actually did me a favour, if I had received the 15 points and been put into WRAG then I would have probably just accepted this, not looked for advice and wouldn't have found this site .... I didn't know that due to my stoma problems I was even eligible for the support group.

I'm due for review in 12 months but was told that if nothing has changed then it will be a formality. I will certainly be checking back here for updates and information.

I wish I could find the words to say more than a simple thank you

Jill


btw .... as I receive DLA HRM (indefinite award) for my spinal problems I queried if the ATOS report would affect this .... I was assured that as it had been totally overturned it could not be used by another department. My file will remain within the ESA unit.

My disability adviser has just been told (this morning) that unless I am terminally ill or receiving chemo there is no way that I would be placed in the support group is this true if so why do we have to fill out all those desricptors? is this just DWP (DM) blowing smoke.

PS I was put srtaight into wrag without medical IB/ESA migrant.

It is the DWP as usual talking rubbish AGAIN!

confused13 wrote:

My disability adviser has just been told (this morning) that unless I am terminally ill or receiving chemo there is no way that I would be placed in the support group

Did your adviiser make a note of the date, time, name of this ignorant DWP employee, and the gist of what they said? This is appallingly bad advice... The person has either not been correctly trained in the simple basic facts or wasn't listening!

I recommend complaining to your MP. If everyone who gets clearly incorrect advice from DWP personnel gets onto their MP... well, the MPs will be swamped, obviously, but then maybe they'll do something about it!

It's very easy to email your MP from this site: www.writetothem.com

I wonder if the HCP who did Beanio's assessment will be disciplined or investigated in any way? No, I thought not ...

I did wonder if it was worth letting my MP know about the complete waste of time, money and resources .... it was a doctor who did the assessment, not trained in the UK but is on the GMC register. Apart from the stoma issues that he clearly did not understand, he didn't examine my hips/knees or ankles but still stated that I had normal function .... my neurosurgeon could put him straight on that statement alone. That is just one example (there are many more) of how bizarre his findings were ....
Like others have said, when I received the copy of the report .... I thought he must have mixed me up with someone else.

It is a concern that this chap is probably still completing his reports for ATOS and others may find themselves in the same situation as I did .... I got the impression from my conversation with the DWP this morning that they were quite bothered by the report.

One thing that did raise a wry smile was that he stated that I dealt with leakage from my stoma by wearing dark clothing! Oh, if only it was that simple

Would my MP be the right person ... or is there anyone who investigates the flaws in this system?

Jill