Question about auditing of Atos PIP assessors

Hi, After having an appalling experience in August when an attempt was made to assess me at an assessment centre but failed because I was too unwell, I was given a home assessment last week. The assessment went much better in that the assessor was not confrontational, seemed to have read all of my written application and medical supporting evidence and dropped strong hints that she would be writing a favourable report. However, she also said at the end of the visit that she is being heavily audited at the moment and that there is a chance that her recommendations would be challenged and that I'll have another assessment at this level again (ie not mandatory reconsideration or appeal). How common is this and who is likely to be auditing her work?

I wondered if it might be that she has declared too many people as eligible for PIP which has prompted a red flag from Atos. She did seem generally well meaning and very competent in the way she assessed, the questions she asks and the assumptions she jumped to about difficulties I would have with certain tasks (actually I think she'd just read my notes which outlined them all), but I have also read about people receiving unfavourable results after thinking assessors were nice and that the assessor was fair, so I am aware that things may be different they seemed.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Hi again,

To update you, I was awarded enhanced rate for both daily living and mobility for an ongoing period. In retrospect I think the assessor's comment at the time about me perhaps needing to be reassessed at home was in relation to the fact she knew she was going to recommend me to have the benefit for an ongoing period but didn't know if that would be accepted and was giving me advice to request a home assessment again if that happened (but obviously couldn't say this) Thank you so much for all of your online resources and forum support. Really helpful. I also had support from CAB with my application, which was invaluable, and interestingly the worker who supported me said he has benefited in the past from having access to your resources too.

Following the receipt of my PIP award letter, I have a few questions, which I wondered if you might be able to help with.
1) I am currently in the support group for ESA and have an element of the income related amount also to top the contributory payment up. Will my PIP income (including effect of a lump sum for back pay) affect these payments?
2) Re the above am I still eligible for free prescriptions and dental care (fine if not, but I'd just like to know)
3) Do I need to let ESA know about my PIP award or will the DWP do this automatically?
4) I am currently on full housing benefit. Will I need to pay any/ all of my rent from my PIP payments?
5) I currently receive a discount for council tax on the basis of being on a low income, how will being on PIP affect this?
Apologies for all of the questions, I tried to prepare myself for the prospect of having to take my claim to appeal stage having heard all of the horror stories (and more so after my bad experience at the assessment centre), but spent very little time and energy anticipating such a positive result!

Thanks again for your help. Best wishes.

Thanks very much. That's all very helpful.
Just to make sure I understand correctly, is the regular income of PIP, aside from the back payment, classed as an income for ESA purposes or disregarded? I currently receive the income related element of ESA as well as a contribution one, due to being in the support group and - prior to the PIP lump sum - having only a low level of savings and no other income (aside from HB) - will my fortnightly PIP income affect my eligibility for for the income related element of ESA?
Best wishes.