Hello! Sorry for the late updates and all. I have gotten someone from CAB involved, they've come round, spoke to me, looked over the case and the situation. She agreed the doctor's report looks suspisious. However, she also says that if your partner is claiming carer's allowance, they can apply for income support and there's no need for anyone (at least with DLA/Carer's) to go through this...? I'm unsure how true or not that is. She suggested it to me because mine was not going to be a life-long problem, probably a year at most. I don't know. I'm clueless. If this expirience has taught me anything It's that the system is made to be played. It's like some sick game. If you don't know how to fill in a form 'correctly', it doesn't matter how honest you are, or how ill you are. They want specific sentances, terms, etc. It's... kind of scary, in honesty. And the types of help out there are split between those who will help you fail or those who will help you succeed, very few who will help you find what's best for you and your condition. ~

Thank you everyone. I'm going to contact CAB / DIAL / Welfare Rights on Monday.

Thank you so much for your help. I've had a few set backs - in that my Physiotherapist has moved hospitals and now I need to wait 2 weeks and start seeing a new one all together... I also don't have a GP appointment till the 23rd, but once I see those 2 people I can have my medical evidence. I will also make a CAB appointment.. Just very nervous. Is there a time limit on this like there is with the appeal process? A month?

There isn't a phone number but I'm guessing I could ring the DWP and try and work my way through the Hold times and try and get some info! I'm also worried I'm waiting on forms that may never come. I'm unsure, HB. The sheet at the back of the pack has the 'Revision refused' box ticked, and the statement from the DM says 'There was no additional evidence provided and I saw no break in the law.' That's all I know. I'm going to go ahead and collect some evidence, and I've already made a list of things I can't do and worked on the score I think I should gain from their criteria. I've also annitated the ATOS report, outlining where the doctor has contridicted himself, lied, noted down undiscussed matters or given vague/twisted answers. :/ (Which was quite shocking, but more common after reading everyone's posts on here!) So I am fully prepared to appeal again or make a case for Tribunal either way...

This is what's happened so far; I attended a medical. I recieved my letter saying I scored 0. I filled in a 'Why you think we are wrong,' form and wrote a letter stating I'd like to appeal and why. I sent it off with my GP's letter. I recieved a pack last Thursdsay stating a Decission Maker has refused to look over my appeal and so the decission is still 0 points. The pack contains a copy of everything so far, my letter, ESA50, ATOS report, etc. On the front of the pack is a letter with Tribunal addresses but no dates and no information of what to do next. It states I should be expecting some 'forms for my completion' within '2 weeks of the submission.' ? Maybe that'll help.

I only have recieved the evidence pack, no forms. I guess I'll wait. Thank you.

Does no body know what this means? Was I supposed to recieve forms to fill in to send off to say I want to go to Tribunal or..? I'm slightly scared now.

Thank you. I shall google it now. Well, all I recieved was a pack telling me that I should keep it for my own records. It contained my appeal letter and GP's evidence as well as ATOS report, ESA50 and the refused decission from the decission maker, as well as addresses of Tribunals. The same pack told me that within 2 weeks of recieving the 'Submission' (?) I should recieve some forms 'for my completion'?

So far this is my plan of action. I am writing it here mostly to try and clear my mind and make sure I have guidelines and goals so I can stop getting into panics, but it may help anyone else preparing for Tribunal; - Read through the ATOS report and annitate/write up where and how it is incorrect. - Wait on the forms they say they are sending. When they arrive I plan to contact someone from Welfare Rights to help me in filling them out and attending the Tribunal as advised on here. - List what you are unable to do/what makes you unfit for work in the simplest terms. - Compare this list to their own chart and calculate how many points you think you should have recieved. - Prepare medical and social evidence to support these points. I have been informed that the DWP will only take this evidence into account if it states what you are unfit to do directly, so I will have to ask my GP, Physio and so on to be blunt. - Write the above information into a document. I am going to use the one from the sticky. I am lucky in that my partner can help me with most of the above, but asking various consultants for evidence and speaking to someone new from Welfare Rights terrifies me. For me It's become a case of either having a panic attack now or avoiding it, staying in the house and having a panic attack later when I can not pay any bills. I don't know at what stage this became okay... But hopefully putting it into baby steps will help. For anyone who's been through it, does this seem like a firm plan of action?

Agreed, Cole. I had that happen to myself. Reading the report the doctor wrote about me was upsetting, frustrating and hallerious. I was shaking by the end of it.

To be fair, if I'd spent a lot of money or knew someone spent a lot of money trying to get me a season ticket I wouldn't want to waste it, and I don't even like football, but you get the idea. But yes - essentially there are ways around it without making it obvious and without making it difficult for them. Not that I would usually advocate this, but when the system treads on you you avoid it.

Such a person would need to be paid - Question - by whom? ATOS - leads to vested interest, Claimant - inpractical, unethical and leaads to vested interest. Goverment - the same people who pay ATOS for their contract, it would be a waste, not to mention their cutting of services, they likely can't spare the funds. Such a person would need medical qualifications to make sure they understood what was going on. This point is debatable, of course. As a jobholder paying tax, they are likely to have a vested interest anyway. I do not think that taking a relative or rep or asking for another ATOS official in the room is completely fair, either, as both are likely to take the side of those they are there to support. I'd say recordings were the only clear way forward.

I don't really understand that part myself... But before I became ill, I was claiming JSA along with him, and we were on a joint claim for it but we both had to come in/attend interviews etc because we were both able too work and looking for work. The difference is now he wants aid looking for work and isn't ill but has to stay on an ESA claim? Whereas I could not share a JSA claim with him because that'd mean I was elligable for work? It's all very confusing.

Thank you! I haven't heard ot the first one so I'll give that a look. Once I have my pain and anxiety under control I hope to take a business skills course as my town are quite good and offer them for free. The thought of attending anything at the moment though makes me feel slightly sick. My partner did apply for a grant for some help towards a Cisco course cost but they are yet to reply. The course demands the full 1,050 odd payment up front as well which is pretty crazy, it should stretch over months or something... Oh well. I didn't mean to get all into my individual case, I just think it's a bit of a write off how you are treated and overlooked when entering your 20s, when there are many people who are my age who've yet to have a job, who may have dropped out of higher education or been on JSA, been ill, been living at home, anything. Then those who had jobs they lost due to the current climate.

All the best to you and he, that's just really shocking to hear.