Two private messages and an official edit....all for trying to help. Sorry, but you can all stick to your "by the rules" help for each other. I tried to assist someone who was in trouble, all others do is give verbal support but no meaningful help. People turned down by the DWP need all of the help they can get, but they wont find it on a forum that criticises and moderates to such an extent as to deny people the opportunity to look up a helpful website. Had anyone bothered to go to that site, they would have found it offered FREE ADVICE in the first instance and only if you want to go further is it up to you. No hard sell. just free adice now denied to Bettieboo. Well done. This was my first and last sortie into this forum, it is too full of posters who are only interested in complaining and not helping.

I would like to thank those posters who complained that I added a link to a site that helped people appeal against unfair ESA judgements. I have had two official private repsonses "telling me off". So much for trying to help people. I feel sorry for anyone who has to try and fight the DWP without knowledge and I took the necessary path of seeking professional help and merely tried to help. In future, I have no intention of sharing information with anyone as this forum is obviously full of "wannabe moderators" rather than thoise trying to help. Shame some of you could not research and add helpful links rather than complain about someone trying to do some good.

I feel a bit insulted being accused of promoting a pay site. I was just trying to help someone who is in the same position I was some time ago. We do not have the knowledge some of these organisations do but if you think that I am just promoting a pay site then I will keep my thoughts to myself. I was genuinly trying to help and feel that you are more interested in moderating forums than helping people. Sad.

I found this forum today and want to give support to anyone who has been shafted by ATOS. I suffer from systemic heart disease and a few other complications. I am 63 and have had this condition for about 7 years. I have led a more than active life (military and ex-pat) and have now paid the consequencies for it ( Nervous breakdown and heart attack). I went onto incapacity benefits and for the first six years all went OK. Last year, I was told that after my ATOS medical (15 minutes of stupid questions) I was considered fit for work. All benefits were immediately stopped and I had to rely on my daughter for support. As I have trouble even walking more than 20 minutes without a break and many other complications, I found this strange. I saw my GP who put me in touch with the following site. **edited** He also wrote to the DWP on my behalf. I followed the guide (money well spent) and promtly appealed complete with my reasons and a point by point response to the ATOS check sheet that you are given. I also demanded copies of all of my previous ATOS medicals and demanded a verbal appeal rather than a written one. Some weeks later my copies were delivered (minus last years which they had lost). I was shocked to find out that in prvious years I had scored between 21 and 25 points, yet at my latest ATOS medical I was awarded ZERO points. I then followed the advice in the book downloaded and forwarded this together with copies of my previous medicals. Within 2 weeks, I was told that my case had been reviewed and that they had made a mistake. 4 weeks later, my benefits were back dated without any apology. Do not give up. Bombard the DWP with letters and your version of how the medical should have gone. The benefits and works guide is excellent and should be compulsery reading. It takes you blow by blow through the whole system and tells you what you should do. Good luck.