Hi, I've had a look around the forums and can't quite find the answer to my question, so I thought I'd post here to see if anyone has some advice on what I should do. Last week I returned my ESA50 for my conversion from IB to ESA. It was damn hard work filling it in, i had help and we wrote pages of supporting information etc, with specialist medical evidence. I've had a relapse in my illness which means I have completely lost the past 10 days due to post-exertion fatigue. I was hoping that I would be one of the lucky ones and avoid the dreaded medical, but it wasn't to be. I got my appointment through for an afternoon, 14 days from receipt of the letter. Why do I have a problem? I have mobility issues and having been to my closest centre (A) before, which is approximately 20 miles away, I specifically requested 3 times, on my ESA50, on the attached pages of notes and in a separate covering letter not to goto centre (A) and I specifically requested centre (B) which is 8 miles further away from my home address. I made sure I was specific in my explanation that centre (A) is inaccessible with no drop off point, and that centre (B) I could be dropped off outside. I explained mobility issues upfront and yet this has been ignored. Also I requested a recorded assessment (again on all 3 documents) and there is no mention on the appointment I have received that this has been granted. I also have issues on the telephone, so I have requested for postal contact only, unless when discussing an appointment and I gave a friends number for them to specifically call. Of course there was no call. Having read around, there is clearly no reading of any of the literature I sent! I should have known better really. What can I do? I don't want centre (A) as I cannot be dropped off outside, and attending there will be detrimental to my health. I also want the assessment recorded, do I or my friend have to call to confirm this and try to change the centre. Or doi wait until Monday (earliest opportunity) to post copies of 'centre b' requests to DWP or ATOS? To ensure there is a paper trail? What happens if I turned up to the appointment and there was no recording equipment? Do I have to participate? Stressed is an understatement! Thanks Me_too

Hi Folks, Just had my 2nd Atos assessment this morning. They very nicely made me wait 40 minutes before taking me but i think that was because i had asked them to tape this assessment and their equipment was so old it took the guy half an hour to figure out how to work it. The receptionist at the desk asked if i still wanted the assessment taped (they definately do not like the taping, probably because they cant make up a load of gumph about you). I asked for this one to be taped because i am still going through the process of tribunal and when i had got the papers through from DWP and the medical report it was full of ****. I am urinary incontinent, i have carpal tunnel syndrome, menorraghia, osteoarthritis and arthralgia. According to my last atos assessment seeing a Urologist for incontinence is not seeing a specialist???? I can prepare and cook a meal when i said i couldnt but i could possibly use a microwave and the list goes on, yada, yada, yada. Armed with two carrier bags, one full of pills and one full of a change of clothing (i had my husband carry the bags in for me and come back and get them) i was put through an hour assessment. Unfortunately for Atos, i have a trapped nerve in my neck at the moment, im on Tramadol and Ibruprofen at the same time as well as my other medication and he was asking me to lift my arms in various directions and move my neck this way and that way and i just couldnt do it, i told him i would attempt what he was asking me to do but i would not put myself in any further pain or cause any further damage to myself. I have a feeling a may have upset them but im passed caring, the guy i got today said he was a nurse and had the cheek to question my doctors decisions, so i told him straight that i think a doctor is more qualified to make these decisions rather than a nurse thats been on a 4 week course. That went down like a lead balloon. Ive been more frank and more honest this time cause im so angry at the way they have treated people, i will probably be told im fit for work and it will be appeal time again Delilah

I was due to attend ATOS a few months ago, but couldn't. For the past few months my ESA has been reduced & DWP refuse to include disability premium until I'm assessed by ATOS. I have finally got my GP to do a letter to state I don't go out. As ATOS had refused to do a home assessment & GP had refused to provide proof need home assessment. I sent the GPs letter to DWP, but have not heard back from them. If I ever do get a home assessment I'm worried that the ATOS assessment will only revolve around the depression/anxiety/phobias I have been diagnosed with & are in my medical history. As I've seen youtube testimonials from others who've been to ATOS assessment, many claim that there were only a few questions & they were solely based on 1 area. On the criteria points scoring system there are full list of all areas & I just assumed people would be asked all mental/physical health questions on it- so they could be fully assessed. If I'm only asked question in relation to depression/anxiety I would feel the test was incomplete & that I'd be wrongly scored. Because my problems are varied & include almost all areas. Many of my problems are not recorded on my medical history. My medical history was on GP letter sent to DWP. But for example I had a few episodes of black outs as a child but never reported them. They returned when I was 28 & I did report them to my GP, they're now daily but I won't go to hospital- as hate hospitals. This problem is nowhere on my medical history even though it could cause severe danger to self/others & sometimes causes incontinence. I was diagnosed with frequent migraines at 12 years old, but this is listed in my medical history as headache! I was also diagnosed with asperger syndrome last year, but this was not anywhere in my medical history either. Can anyone provide me with any advice please? I was planning on asking them to record assessment too, but I don't have an advocate anymore. But this is a mute point at the moment because last time I contacted DWP they said it was my responsibility to contact ATOS for another assessment. But I have not done this as I feel this would be like contracting them to do it & I don't want it to appear that I do so of my own free will- they seem like a bunch of liars from what others say! But this does leave me in a blackmailed position of having less money to live on. Though somehow I feel it could be worse, as ATOS seem to be rigging questions- maybe my ESA would have been stopped altogether if I had gone!

Hi, A friend has recently posted his ESA50 form (3 weeks ago),but now has a letter of support from his CPN - is there some way to send this in and have it added to the form he's sent,or should he wait for the dreaded Work Capability Assessment and produce it then? What happens if ATOS decide to not pull in my friend for an assessment - how could he then produce his letter of support for the attention of the decision maker to hopefully get him into the Support Group instead of the Work-Related Activity Group?

http://www.osscsc.gov.uk/Aspx/view.aspx?id=3830 'Where,however, the disability analyst is a physiotherapist and the problems she is dealing with are mental health problems the opinion of the physiotherapist as to the conclusions to be drawn have no probative value whatsoever. This is because the physiotherapist has no professional expertise in mental health matters. Although the strict rules of evidence do not apply, a tribunal can only take into account evidence that has probative value' I can only express my surprise that in a case where the only issue was the mental health of the claimant and its effect in relation to the mental health descriptors, the report was prepared by a physiotherapist following a 15 minute interview. It is plainly important that questions of mental health should be assessed by a disability analyst with appropriate mental health qualifications if their opinion is to be of any evidential value. Even then tribunals should beware of placing too much weight on such reports, based as they are on a very short interview with a claimant and without access to medical records. Given the evidence that the claimant was irritable and abrupt at a 15 minutes interview, and given a history of frequent loss of control of his temper, and the absence of medical records, I do not see how any competent mental health professional could have expressed any firm opinion as to the risks if the claimant was found not to have limited capability for work-related activity. The opinion of somebody with no mental health qualifications in such circumstances should have carried no weight at all. I would add that in addition I am not even clear how far the physiotherapist was aware of what those work-related activities would be. Sorry about the formatting I am not good at that.

Article in today's Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/jul/22/disabled-benefits-claimants-test-atos

my sons benefit have been stopped not through assessment, but they say they never received the questionnaire ,it was posted 3weeks before the deadline but they say it never arrived ,he has uncontrolled gran mal epilepsy and was placed in the wrag group 2 years ago ,stating unable to work in the longer term.received a letter saying esa stopped housing benefit also stopped .i have no proof that i posted it i should have used recorded delivery .he has been told in the letter he is fit for work he is very stressed out and worried sick ,how can they do this on a technicality and not assessment ,the epilepsy has not gone away in fact is worse than 2 years ago .

Hi can anyone help me please i have been on incapacity benefit for 20 yr due to back problem{ since the birth of my fisrt chid} i have a prolapsed disc which causes back ache and not being able to lift any thing with weight, i can hurt my back if i just move wrong. Last july i had to go to atos for a medical assessment and came out with 0 points? i have the added problems now of both knees are really bad due to athritis and having been told i will need knee replacements but not yet as i'm only 43yrs old and will need them done again if i have it know. At the time of my medical i had a bakers cyst in the back of the right knee and couldn't put any weight on it , the nurse asked me to do some bending and other things but i tried and just culdn't do it she then helped me up on the bed to do some more movements but i couldn't do some of them. In her report she said i had a constant limp and that i had reduced reflections in my right side. She said i had refused to do some movements. I appealed and it was overturned in my favour in may 2013 , i was put in a wrag esa and had all my money backdated , i'm being sent to the jobcentre again this month {june} this is the second time as my fisrt one was last month my adviser down the job centre thinks i'm well enough to work and was very cross that i get all that money for doing nothing? she wants me to go down the jobcentre even after i told her it's hard as my knees are getting worse and it makes my back hurt more, she has now sent me to a jobfit progamme which i feel is going to effect me even more. Now 5th june 2013 i have had an other medical questionaire to fill in by the 8th july is this right as i feel i have only just be approved not fit for work by them changing the outcome of my appeal, this is having a very bad effect on me and my life as well as trying to cope with all the pain please can anyone advise me if this is how it goes the cab was not much help the first time around and i don't know where else to get help. Mnay thanks welshmishy

Could anyone please tell me if i can still send back an appeal form, i had the letter dated on the 7th of June and was not going to appeal as i couldnt face another barrage of questions, due to may other family problems, anyway is it too late for me to appeal as my counsiller (sorry for the spelling) said i should and was appalled that i hadn,t, thankyou

http://politicalscrapbook.net/2012/11/disabled-man-dies-after-atos-stops-benefits-chris-grayling/ Makes awful reading. Apparently 1700 deaths are being linked to failed ATOS assessments. Perhaps the government should release full details of their risk assessment into this policy, as surely they must have told ATOS on what basis to assess people as being fit for work.

Document Source: http://disabilitynewsservice.com/201...mant-requests/ A senior doctor working for Atos Healthcare told colleagues he was “sickened” that disabled benefit claimants can now demand to have their “fitness for work” assessments recorded, according to a leaked email seen by Disability News Service (DNS). Geoff Douglas, who has been assessing disabled people for their eligibility for disability benefits for more than 10 years, sent the email in reply to an Atos manager who had complained that colleagues were refusing to carry out audio-recorded work capability assessments (WCAs). The manager said in her email that a colleague was having “major difficulties getting any HCP [healthcare professional] to undertake a recorded assessment”. But in his reply, copied to colleagues at the Atos assessment centre in Birmingham, Douglas said he was appalled that claimants were now able to demand to have their assessments recorded. He wrote that “although I do them, it sickens me that clients, who apparently have a perfect right to not turn up and to not fill in an ESA50 form [the questionnaire every claimant has to fill in], now have the right to demand a recording”. He also described Atos as “without doubt the most incompetent, inefficient and uncaring organisation with which I have ever been involved”. It is just the latest in a series of embarrassing incidents in which Atos assessors and other staff have been shown in a less than flattering light over their attitudes to benefit claimants and the assessments, which test eligibility for out-of-work disability benefits. Douglas, a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, complained in his email that the task of assessors was “becoming ever more complex and ever more futile, as we bend over backwards to satisfy the demands of a government that wants and needs cuts to the welfare budget”. He said the time they were given to carry out the assessments was “unrealistic”, and added: “If I do it quickly, I have not covered all the issues. If I award even a few derisory points, I have not justified them sufficiently. “If I award nothing, the client goes to an appeals tribunal that is singing from a different hymn sheet.” He added: “If someone complains, I have to justify my very existence to people at Atos who neither know me, nor support me, nor care. Meanwhile my work load increases and my remuneration decreases as each year goes by.” When contacted by DNS, Douglas said: “I am not really interested in discussing it. It was something that was internal. Everybody has exasperation with people from time to time. I am really not very happy to discuss Atos.” The email was leaked to DNS just days after the government admitted that it had made it easier – at least in the short term – for claimants to insist that their WCA was recorded. Disabled activists have repeatedly accused the government and Atos Healthcare of putting obstacles in the way of claimants who want their WCAs to be taped, to protect them from assessors who do not record their evidence accurately and fairly. An Atos spokeswoman said: “We do not comment directly on leaks.” But she added: “Any issues raised by our doctors, nurses or physiotherapists are dealt with through the proper channels. “We audio record assessments where this request is made ahead of time and in accordance with our contract with the DWP.” A DWP spokesman said: “This is for Atos to respond to. We don’t comment on leaks.” Meanwhile, Labour MP Sheila Gilmore secured a short Commons debate this week to discuss the audio-recording of assessments, and told MPs that it was still difficult for a claimant to have their WCA taped, even though this would improve the quality of assessments and cut the number of appeals. The Conservative employment minister Mark Hoban admitted in response to Gilmore that Atos only has 52 recorders across the country to cope with more than 11,000 assessments a week. 13 June 2013

Document Source: http://disabilitynewsservice.com/2013/06/atos-doctor-sickened-by-claimant-requests/ A senior doctor working for Atos Healthcare told colleagues he was “sickened” that disabled benefit claimants can now demand to have their “fitness for work” assessments recorded, according to a leaked email seen by Disability News Service (DNS). Geoff Douglas, who has been assessing disabled people for their eligibility for disability benefits for more than 10 years, sent the email in reply to an Atos manager who had complained that colleagues were refusing to carry out audio-recorded work capability assessments (WCAs). The manager said in her email that a colleague was having “major difficulties getting any HCP [healthcare professional] to undertake a recorded assessment”. But in his reply, copied to colleagues at the Atos assessment centre in Birmingham, Douglas said he was appalled that claimants were now able to demand to have their assessments recorded. He wrote that “although I do them, it sickens me that clients, who apparently have a perfect right to not turn up and to not fill in an ESA50 form [the questionnaire every claimant has to fill in], now have the right to demand a recording”. He also described Atos as “without doubt the most incompetent, inefficient and uncaring organisation with which I have ever been involved”. It is just the latest in a series of embarrassing incidents in which Atos assessors and other staff have been shown in a less than flattering light over their attitudes to benefit claimants and the assessments, which test eligibility for out-of-work disability benefits. Douglas, a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, complained in his email that the task of assessors was “becoming ever more complex and ever more futile, as we bend over backwards to satisfy the demands of a government that wants and needs cuts to the welfare budget”. He said the time they were given to carry out the assessments was “unrealistic”, and added: “If I do it quickly, I have not covered all the issues. If I award even a few derisory points, I have not justified them sufficiently. “If I award nothing, the client goes to an appeals tribunal that is singing from a different hymn sheet.” He added: “If someone complains, I have to justify my very existence to people at Atos who neither know me, nor support me, nor care. Meanwhile my work load increases and my remuneration decreases as each year goes by.” When contacted by DNS, Douglas said: “I am not really interested in discussing it. It was something that was internal. Everybody has exasperation with people from time to time. I am really not very happy to discuss Atos.” The email was leaked to DNS just days after the government admitted that it had made it easier – at least in the short term – for claimants to insist that their WCA was recorded. Disabled activists have repeatedly accused the government and Atos Healthcare of putting obstacles in the way of claimants who want their WCAs to be taped, to protect them from assessors who do not record their evidence accurately and fairly. An Atos spokeswoman said: “We do not comment directly on leaks.” But she added: “Any issues raised by our doctors, nurses or physiotherapists are dealt with through the proper channels. “We audio record assessments where this request is made ahead of time and in accordance with our contract with the DWP.” A DWP spokesman said: “This is for Atos to respond to. We don’t comment on leaks.” Meanwhile, Labour MP Sheila Gilmore secured a short Commons debate this week to discuss the audio-recording of assessments, and told MPs that it was still difficult for a claimant to have their WCA taped, even though this would improve the quality of assessments and cut the number of appeals. The Conservative employment minister Mark Hoban admitted in response to Gilmore that Atos only has 52 recorders across the country to cope with more than 11,000 assessments a week. 13 June 2013

I have a feeling the DWP and Atos must really like seeing me. As my previous posts over the years on this forum show, they can't seem to get enough of my forms and my assessments. Towards the end of last year I received a letter saying that I had been moved from the Support Group to WRAG. No ESA50 completed, no assessment, nothing. I telephoned to request the initial interview be conducted over the phone and, a short while later, was given a phone back saying an error had been made, I was to remain in the Support Group and unless there were any changes in my circumstances I only needed to contact the Department early next year (2014) to ensure that I was being transferred to Pension Credits. My relief was short-lived since in February I received yet another ESA50 - making 4 ESA50 forms completed, one face-to-face Atos assessment (failed, Support Group on appeal), one telephone call to say no further contact with Department needed until 2014. The ESA50 was completed, typed, additional pages added, everything being almost the same as all the other forms I have submitted - other than the addition of an extra illness that has come to light. From February until June I heard nothing, and then have the Atos "invitation" for face-to-face assessment. Although this time the first appointment has been made in my town, they have not given me the time that it has been stressed I need nor have they taken any notice of the times my carer will not be available this month (a full diary of the dates he is not available was submitted with the ESA50). So now I need to get that appointment altered and go through the whole process again. I find it interesting to see on the forum how many people are told how long they will have between assessments. The Department has always refused to tell me, saying 3 months between each Atos review is "normal". I do have a suspicion that, because I was failed by Atos 2 years ago and had Support Group status initiated on review, these frequent ESA50 forms and requests for assessments have very little to do with any actual review period - especially as the illnesses I declare are not curable in the normal sense of the term, they will be with me for life. No doubt others find themselves in the same position with endless demands to complete forms and attend for assessment so I am not the only one. Perhaps I am lucky that I will qualify for Pension Credits in 10 months, no matter what the outcome, I don't have as long to endure before I can be rid of ESA and Atos for good. Also, the form that accompanied my appointment time stated that no taxi fare would be paid unless I obtained a letter from my GP stating it was necessary - and that Atos would not reimburse me the cost of that letter. I do remember reading on an Atos document somewhere on the net 2 years ago a list of illnesses that Atos needed to consider before they called a person for interview. One of those was agoraphobia and a taxi was to be offered in case the person could get to the office by taxi. Does anyone know if this has changed? Is there still a list of ailments that Atos need to refer to before calling people for face-to-face assessment? In the meantime, I start the whole process off once again and report that these last 2 years have probably been the most unendurable of my life with pressures from Atos and related departments that is surely bordering on harassment.

Hello I would be most grateful for some urgent advice I was sent a ATOS medical questionnaire to fill in and return to ATOS. Unfortunately my doctor whom I have built a strong rapport with and is the one that |I see regularly and has a strong understanding of my medical history has been out of the country in the US. I informed ATOS about this and they asked me to put this into writing which I did so that there could be a delay in me sending the form back as my doctor would need to assist with this and include the details of my medical history. I did not hear back from ATOS for some time and I called them last week to ask them what was happening as I had heard nothing. They told me that it had gone back into the system which I assumed meant that I would receive a new questionnaire. I have this week received a letter with an appointment for me to attend in the first week of June. As I have not had to attend the ATOS interview last time due to my condition this was decided once they received the information from my doctor. How can I get it back to this stage where I can send in the medical questionnaire as they have not yet had the chance to see this and I feel that the decision of how to proceed should be based on the information supplied in the questionnaire. Thank you in advance for your help and assistance.

3 weeks ago my work sent me to an Occupational Health interview. The company that did this was Atos. They wrote up their report and said it would be between 3 and 6 months before I was likely to be fit to return to work. I was sent a copy as well as work. I, a while ago applied for benefits inc. incapacity. I have an interview the first week in July with Atos through the DWP. Do I need to phone them and tell them I had this? Will I still need to attend the DWP interview or do you think my report they did for my work will be used. Am pertrified at the thought of going after what I have read especially with having chronic depression.

Hi to all, i had my asos medical report yesterday and was told i scored nil points, basically a lot of what i said and how i reacted at the medical was not written down. I have arthritus etc and none of this was mentioned, i had a really bad experience 3yrs ago ( involving 3 men that had knives and subjected me to a ordeal that now i am a virtual recluse) and since then do not go anywhere without my husband, she asked if i saw family or friends which i said i didnt see anyone but none of this was mentioned either.Could someone please tell me how to do an appeal and is their any links to solicitors or anyone that would be able to help me through it. Thankyou

Hi, I have an Atos assessment tomorrow (13th June). I did have an assessment on the 29th May but this wasn't at a convenient time so I had to rearrange the date to the 13th June. My young daughter who has Asthma is unwell and I have nobody else to look after her. Can I rearrange the assessment a second time? I am fearful my benefit could be stopped? Can you rearrange an appointment twice?? I'm sure she will be fine next week and I could attend then(?) Thank you for your help.

Went for a medical assessment this morning accompanying someone and the centre was closed. Went across the road to JCP who told us it was closed until Tuesday and they don't know why and that we should have been informed - we weren't. We should get another appointment, but we don't know when. Had to cancel another appointment because ATOS wouldn't let this one be cancelled and I wanted to attend with the person. Have I missed anything in the news? Have ATOS finally been overturned? Yeah, right.

I just got my esa 85 this morning, the report from my medical. I was put into the support group again for another 6 months. In my assessment I saw a nice doctor who said he was sympathetic to my condition but that the way the wca is set out made it very difficult for him but he did say his wife had the same condition as me and he knew how ill I must be. I left thinking I would not get ESA but I did and sent away for my esa 85. I was surprised to read in the report that the hcp had put down information he had gained from examining me which I don't think is true. I believe he did this to ensure I recieved esa even though I don't strictly fit the catagory. I am pleased but worry if this inaccuracy will cause problems in the future?

Need some help understanding this. Gets ATOS form, filled it out. No response for almost 5 weeks, so email sent. What comes back is this. Why wasnt the claimant told what the decision was before they sent it back to the benefits agency? And what was this medical advice? Isnt the claimant supposed to know? Nothing has been sent from DWP as of yet! Not knowing much about ATOS and their procedures, is this correct? Information would be most grateful so I can pass this on, Many thanks.

Hi Everyone, Some of you will know me as I post regularly on the benefits forum. Today I received that which those of us on ESA dread - the ESA50 form. I went to open the innocent looking white envelope and noticed 'Atos healthcare' on the back and my stomach sank. Yes, even a former benefits worker dreads the prospect of the assessment process starting again. I've been on ESA for several years and have had two assessments, the first one placing me in WRAG, the second in the support group. I have yet to have to appeal for myself - but there is always a first time. I thought it might be useful to some to have a thread following the process through (to appeal if necessary) - I'll put as much detail in as I can about how I approach the ESA50, Atos assessment and appeal, and any issues that arise. Like a blog, I suppose, but in a thread. I was thinking of how to make a positive out of another assessment, and thought of a blog, but felt I'd rather share with my friends here. Sorry if it proves boring and unhelpful. I've never written anything like this before, so please bear with me. So my initial thoughts on receiving the form were unrepeatable. But then my thoughts turned to what I'm going to need. I have no evidence at home about my conditions, so first I thought I'd contact my GP surgery for my medical records, as these would have test results and consultant letters etc. I phoned my surgery and the receptionist stated to put my request in writing, that there was no fee (though she didn't seem entirely sure, I was expecting a £10 fee) and no she couldn't tell me how long it would take - the secretary would contact me once they had my request to give me a timescale. My initial aim will be to provide as much information as possible with the ESA50 (including the content of the completed ESA50) to try to not have an Atos assessment if possible. I doubt very much I'll be successful, but thought it was best to at least try. There is also the problem that the ESA50 needs to be back in a month, and I may not get the medical records before I need to send it back. So today's job, is print off a letter requesting my medical records - making very sure I put in the letter what the records are for, as I don't want them to delay thinking I'm planning on complaining against a doctor. Tomorrow I'll start on the ESA50 form.

Hi there, This morning my partner had a letter telling her to turn up to an assessment. This is the first one in 2 years, since we had her original one when her problems started. The original one was a bit of a debacle - - The funny foreign doctor who spoke poor english - No questions at all were asked about her mental health(the reason she was claiming) just about her physical health(no problems) - I was told that I could not be a witness, and could not take notes(I had been on here and seen I could and kicked up a stink until she relented) Despite all that, there were no problems with the claim. Whats the current advice on Atos assessments? Also, as she is no longer getting ESA as the DWP changed it last year, should she even be assessed? To clarify, she gets DLA, and I get CA and IS support, both of which are based on her DLA. Thanks

Hi I have a serious problem. My incapacity benefit was stopped on the 4th of April, the first I knew was last week when it wasn't paid into my bank account (noticed on Friday 19th). Spoke to DWP today and they informed that it's because I didn't attend an ATOS assessment in Feb. The problem is... ATOS have never informed me of any appointments and this is the 2nd time it's happened in about 6 months. I even told the DWP that I wanted to make an official complaint about the failure to inform me. I live alone, no one else has access to my mail. If I'd received a letter I'd know about it and I put all appts on my calendar so I don't forget about them. These are duplicated onto my gmail calendar and I get a notification n my phone to remind me aswell. But the first I know of these appts is when I get the 'did not attend form' from DWP afterwards. The DWP didn't even send me a letter telling me it had been suspended. I am in full on anxiety/panic mode, over drawn at the bank and don't even have money to purchase food I desperately need help and advice on what to do.

Hi, my neighbour has just received a letter requesting that they attend an ATOS medical for ESA at the end of the month. Only 2 weeks ago they attended and were awarded x amount % for industrial accident benefit. Surely they won't have to for another pain staking medical when they've only just had one. Seems pointless but of course now it's a long weekend they can't contact them to find out. Has anyone else had or heard of this before and had to attend a second one in such a short space of time?

Hi everybody, just need a little help on ESA if anybody can. I passed my first atos assessment but failed my second ? same health problems arthritis and depression no change in health and same answers given on form and during assessment, only difference is I had a friend/witness with me the first time but unfortunately didn't take anyone in with me (I know know how stupid I was) on the second assessment. I have appealed and am being paid at assessment rate while it goes to tribunal. I have returned the tribunal form with my 2 page letter stating everything and await a date for tribunal. I have now been sent and returned the 3rd health questionnaire and been given a date for a third medical assessment. My question is do I have to attend a medical while I am appealing the previous one ? surely not ?