Atos + Government have got it so wrong.

Hi Everyone,
Just thought id let people know my story so far. I had my atos medical back in February this year. I've been on higher rate mobility & care since 1999. Not long after my medical i received my results. I am still on higher rate mobility indefinite & i'm now on the lower rate of care indefinitely. So this means i was put in the WRAG group. Since then i've received numerous brown envelopes (they make me feel so ill) including my P45. Tomorrow i go for my first Job Center interview. Good old atos & the government don't reailise that.... i cant drive. Have 1 straight leg and one limited moving leg. Can only walk a few yards. I live on the outskirts of a town where my nearest bus stop is 1 mile away. I can't sit on a bus seat properly as any other chair for that matter. My interview is 5 miles away which is my nearest main town. So good old atos/goverment in their almighty wisdom expect me not only to find a job but be able to manage it too. My personnel feelings on this matter are.... they are hell bent on taking nearly all benefits off people at any cost. I now have 10 months to find a job as after that my esa will cease. My wife has a full time job so a means tested benefit will be out of the question. Yes this lousy goverment will take what they can from me at any cost. I believe it's only a matter of time before they rob me of my mobility too. God help this country & all those innocent people they are destroying in there hundreds!

David wrote: Hi Everyone,
Just thought id let people know my story so far. I had my atos medical back in February this year. I've been on higher rate mobility & care since 1999. Not long after my medical i received my results. I am still on higher rate mobility indefinite & i'm now on the lower rate of care indefinitely. So this means i was put in the WRAG group. Since then i've received numerous brown envelopes (they make me feel so ill) including my P45. Tomorrow i go for my first Job Center interview. Good old atos & the government don't reailise that.... i cant drive. Have 1 straight leg and one limited moving leg. Can only walk a few yards. I live on the outskirts of a town where my nearest bus stop is 1 mile away. I can't sit on a bus seat properly as any other chair for that matter. My interview is 5 miles away which is my nearest main town. So good old atos/goverment in their almighty wisdom expect me not only to find a job but be able to manage it too. My personnel feelings on this matter are.... they are hell bent on taking nearly all benefits off people at any cost. I now have 10 months to find a job as after that my esa will cease. My wife has a full time job so a means tested benefit will be out of the question. Yes this lousy goverment will take what they can from me at any cost. I believe it's only a matter of time before they rob me of my mobility too. God help this country & all those innocent people they are destroying in there hundreds!

Hi D,

Sorry to hear this.

If you contact The JCP Adviser, they are supposed to take your limitations into account regarding WFI's etc.

They can defer them, carry them out over the phone, or even in your home.

However, these three options are purely at the discretion of the Adviser.

See :

Work Focussed Interviews

Work Programme

Changes to ESA Sanctions

From our : ESA FAQ’s

If you feel that you should have been placed into The SG, you could appeal the decision, see :

How to submit an appeal

How long do I have to appeal?

Do I have to attend WFIs while I appeal?

Is there any risk to challenging a decision?

What will I be paid while I appeal?

From our : Appeals FAQ’s

There is also an ESA Appeals Guide on this page :

ESA Claims Guides

See also : Sending Documents to the DWP or ATOS

bro58

Hi David

What a story, sorry to hear of your many conditions, sadly atos/dwp really dont care how we are in reality.

As Bro58 says well worth a phone call to the JC+ just to put them FULLY in the picture as to your conditions and transport/distance/travel problems, most JC+ advisors are understanding so based on that I would give them a call asap and explain FULLY.

My advisor was more than willing for me to do the interview over the phone, at some time they will want to see you in person maybe at your home but nothing ventured nothing gained so make that call.

One thing I would say is that the WFI I had was o.k., a very pleasent advisor, only there 10 minutes after a 30 minute wait, as many on this forum have stated there WFI were not any thing like they expected.

Again Bro58 is correct, sound like you have good grounds for SG, get your appeal going as you have limited time to get it into the dwp, 28 days from the date on your decision letter.

I can understand your worry about the 365 day rule but there is a l o n g way to go yet, I was in a simular position to yourself and put my appeal together and went from WRAG to SG as many have done.

Time for thinking cap to be put on here, this forum has lots of great Moderators and the guides are first class too.

DO NOT GIVE UP, now the battle really starts.

Regards, Derek

Thank you so much guys for your input into my post. Its to know ppl are behind you in such sad times. Unfortunately my appeal time has run out. I did think about appealing but to be honest, the government is hell bent on destroying everyone's lives & will continue to halt as many benefits to the disabled as possible.
My interview was horrendous. After a 30 minute delay i was finally called in. The desk was at the bottom of the room (30 yds) talk about stupidity! It lasted the full 60 minutes. I felt badgered and humiliated. I had to ask for an extra chair to put my legs on as i'm unable to straighten one. He looked at me very strange. He was asking me questions about "what i would like to do for work". "What do i think i'm capable of doing". He proceeded to ask about my qualifications from school of which i have non. He then asked me why i didn't!!! I then had to explain i suffered with stomach ulcers, but way back then, ppl my age were not supposed to get them. So it was put down to me not liking school, but come 18 and my weight was at 8 stone and vomiting blood, they found my stomach was so badly ulcerated, i needed immediate attention . (justice at last for all those school years). Anyway back onto my interview - He then asked me what my mobility rate was, i'm thinking "what's going on here, isn't this guy supposed to help me". As i said earlier i felt humiliated and badgered. He then made me another interview with a lady for the 24th of this month and one with him the following week. This making 3 in one month. This appointment with this lady is to put me on a course containing 'confidence building etc'. I really don't want to do it as i'm at my wits end now. My next step is to see my doctor. After what was travelling 5 miles in a car (mums car) nearly 2 hours in the Job Center, i was in in a lot of pain. My usual painkillers wouldn't take the it away, so my doctor will have to find me something stronger if i'm to - firstly have 2 more interviews, then have to go back to work. So that means more chemicals in my body. More prescriptions. I forgot to add - i said could i change the appointments in the job center if they didn't fit in with my mum being able to give me a lift, his answer was "you can get a taxi and we will refund you but we prefer it if you didn't as it keeps the cost down. That statement sumond up what this is all about = NOT PEOPLES HEALTH AND WELFARE BUT MONEY!!!

Hi David
Wow, this sounds so different to my experience of my WFI, so sorry you had the time from hell by the sounds of it.

But as Gordon says you can still get an appeal in even at this stage.

AS your in the WRAG of ESA, I am assuming that you can get some medical evidence either in the form of reports from your GP/Consultants etc, these will be in your medical records at your GP's, if you intend to put in an appeal you will need some sort of evidence to go with the appeal form.

It sounds to me like the advisor did not have any medical info on you at your WFI, where as mine did and it lasted only 10 minutes at the most.

I know it seems like a mountain to climb but try to get yourself together and put up some sort of defence.

Have to stop as forum now closing

Regards, Derek