Cutting a very long story short. Applying for ESA first time in January two letters were enclosed with the ESA50 form requesting a home visit and recording for a ESA F2F assessment. Received Maximus letter for ESA f2f assessment at beginning of April at one of their medical centres. Rang Maximus and told them there was no letter from them to give the reasons why a home visit was not granted. Was told by Maximus the DWP Decision Maker has disallowed the home visit. Rang DWP and told them Maximus said the DM has refused a home visit and and asked the reasons why. Was told by the DWP staff that is was wrong the DWP's DM do not make any decision with regards to home visit nor get involve with F2F assessment that is the job of Maximus their medical contractor. Went back to Maximus and told them what DWP said the appointment was cancelled. Received couple of phone calls from Maximus requesting a letter from the GP to back up the home visit request. GP faxed letter to Maximus stating cannot attend a f2f at a centre due to medical/clinical reasons. Maximus confirmed by phone that they have received the GP supporting letter at the beginning of May 2018 and was told they will send a letter of their decision about the home visit by four different staff. Received several letters to attend appointments at different dates from Maximus including a phone call to ring them very important and very urgently with regards to a f2f at their centre which was to take place some 3 weeks later strange. Each time received a phone call two days before the appointments due date to cancel appointments because their recording machine is broken and that it will take a very long time before hearing from them. Received another letter last week to attend yet another appointment at their centre at the beginning of July but still received no letter with regards to the home visit whether it has been granted or refused. Non of the cancellation letters stating appointments was cancelled because of broken recording machines it just said appointment rescheduled sorry for the inconvenience. Maximus has on record they've book for a Taxi as their making reasonable adjustment but send no letter stating that fact. New appointment letter had not stated a Taxi has been booked for the appointment it just said please attend 10 minutes before the appointment time. I'm looking for a template letter with regards to disability discrimination and harassment from Maximus/contractor and a sample letter under the equality act 2010 requesting a home visit with regards to Maximus making reasonable adjustments for a f2f assessment under the equality act. Any help will be appreciated.

Sent my appeal off with some brief details of why i was appealing , Had a Letter from DWP confirming that they received my appeal, and about how much ESA i will get until it's heard, But so far over 1mth since requesting the full written statement of the Atos wca Form IB /ESA85, But so far i have not been sent it, The person that i recently spoke with from DWP ,Confirmed that they could see that i had previously requested it, but could not understand why i had not yet received it, What can be done to force them to supply this info,(assuming it actually exists) ?

Some help and guidance required if possible, bit of a story behind it all so I'll keep it as brief any more info needed and I'll follow it up. Nearly two years ago I had a Brain Haemorrhage , A large bleed and had Coiling done, Salford Royal Hospital are amazing and saved my life. I had worked in the building trade for 30 years and after the Haemorrr than othershage I was left with the symptoms of a stroke. Down one side , speech mental issues, memory etc. I decided to go down the route of Naturally treating the conditions I was left with and am doing a lot better than hoped. Unable to go back to work I had to claim ESA , I had my first WCA in Wigan and was passed on points and placed in the support group by DWP . After 12 months I had to have a second WCA again at Wigan and ended up having a bit of a row with the Manager. I then had the Assessment and had a strange feeling something was wrong but in the back of my mind I felt comfortable because I had insisted on the Assessment being recorded "what a blessing". Before I carry on , if anyone knows ANYBODY going for a Work Capability Assessment PLEASE PLEASE , tell them to insist on having the Assessment recorded, if for any reason they say no or make excuses please complain . What I say as follows explains. The HCP did her job and carried out the Assessment , a little bit faster than I expected but due to the brain not working as it should I didn't pick up on it . The decision was made by the Decision Maker and I received only 6 points and was told I was fit to work and taken out of support group . Mandatory Reconsideration was done and was pointless having complained about the HCP lying in the Medical report form, and when I say lying you cannot imagine how blatant it was done, absolutely unbelievable. The recordings were transcribed and there in black and white a word for word comparison of what was said , when compared with the Medical Report it was a perfect reverse , every and I mean every word turned upside down. The Medical report described a fit active person . I could go into more detail and will if asked but. Put my evidence in to Tribunal Court although a little late due to DWP not sending me a copy of the bundle to defend against what they were relying on. As I expected it was adjourned . The first thing said to me in the Court was , "not word for word" but , we have concerns that you are recording this Hearing , 3 times I was asked if I was secretly recording and I told them NO. Alarm bells went of in my head, somebody is advising the Court regarding my attitude to having everything recorded , either Maximus or DWP . They were actually really worried and concerned . I asked the Court why no recordings were being made and that I was aware "to my belief" that Court proceedings were normally recorded. I'm sure they said it's because it's not a Court of law. 90% sure that's what they said. I asked if the Court would be requesting the HCP attend , they said NO. How on earth could the Tribunal ignore the importance of what was stated at the assessment by the HCP who then forwarded her Medical Report to the DWP , the outcome was sealed 100% impossible to gain 15 points or more. So it implies to me the HCP will get away with it or at least that's what they think and that is why i'm here.so . 1, Is it possible to start Legal Proceedings against the HCP for fraud 2, Is it possible to have both Tribunal case and Civil case running at the same time 3, Can you insist on the Court allowing recordings being made 4, Would you direct proceedings towards Maximus or the HCP, I would love to name and shame her but understand that I cant at this moment in time This has to be addressed, how many more has this been done to . I would say, that it was done so blatantly done that she must be super confident of getting away with everyone can make a mistake but she may have just kicked me in the balls and stuck the boot in. I don't think that the Tribunal Court have Legal powers, but if this could be gotten in front of a Real Court , then some smelly stuff is going to hit the fan . Can somebody please point me in the right direction of how to initiate this against the HCP . I am confident I can beat the Tribunal , if that goes against me I will Appeal to the 2nd tier Thanks in advance

Hello I hope you can help - I have someone who is a decent human being but has been put is a difficult situation. Someone else was helping him before but I’ve been called on-board as the other person hasn't got the time. He has been on ESA for a long time, He suffers from severe social anxiety, depression, body image issues and also post-traumatic stress due to many issues; most of which are childhood-related, whereas the traumatic stress (I believe) was relatively recent (5 years ago) due a severe facial injury that required intense facial- reconstruction; (were talking hours of surgery and many surgeons) He has been on a continual downward spiral since as he has no support network and his heavy drinking with which he has used to cope with his social anxiety! This has now culminated with him having a psychotic episode a few weeks ago that resulted him being imprisoned for 6 weeks on remand. He received a suspended sentence plus counseling for drink. No one was hurt, though I’m assuming the experience hasn’t been pleasant for anyone that was involved. I cannot stress enough that the person Is decent human being that hasn’t had the help he’s needed for years. His ESA was such that even wrote him off (never needed a tribunal etc) but since coming out of prison he has found that his ESA has been stopped. Im assuming it was because he went to prison the last amount paid into his account was june 6th! and nothing after this. He doesn’t have the skills to get it reactivated on his own! I have done some homework, and found that he is classed (still) as a remand prisoner as just being locked up from June 6 to approx 5-6 later! I believe from my own research (limited) that..... 1 There is a 12 week period within which the EAS can be re-activated / or linked) is this correct? 2 and that this means that there is not major/ substantial extra information needed to be sent to the dwp? And that it is merely a case filling in a new form and re-activating the claim? 3 However he hasn’t been in proper contact with a DR due to him slipping off the radar in terms of doctors notes (he hasn’t needed them for over three years, so you can imagine that someone who suffers from such conditions has simply let things continue!) will he need one now? 4 Or is it simply a case of filling in the correct forms etc? He has no money since coming out of prison- his rent was paid by housing benefit but the short-fall which was made up by himself with the ESA which obviously means the current situation is-not sustainable 5 he will not need to see Atos, surely if it is simply the case of linking the claim? In conclusion I’m unsure which type of ESA he was on but I’m sure it falls within the category of not needed to attend any support group. He hasn’t needed to supply an updated Dr’s note to Atos or the dwp. I have not phoned the ESA yet on his behalf as I’m not sure if I’m up to the task. But the idea is I would like to get the ESA up and running the way it was before, but obviously to try and get him some type of support group as well. Can anyone help? As the 12 week cut off period is looming? Thanks

The dreaded ESA 50 arrived yesterday, so onward for the battle, endless photocopying and reams of explanations. Can someone remind me where to find the "help" guides for filling out the form, for both mental and physical disability as I have both, please? Thanks in advance.

2 or 3 days ago I sent back my questionaire with supporting evidence to the benefit office. I have just contacted them this afternoon and they have said they have sent a report off to the DWP and I do not need to have an actual assessment. I am in the Support Group since 2013 and was due for renewal is this a good sign I am not being made to have a F2F???

My ESA (Support Group) award had a prognosis of 18 months (I have epilepsy) which ends 12th Feb 2016. I have just been told by Maximus that as yet the DWP have not informed Maximus about my reassessment. I had heard that the ESA50 should land on my doormat 2 weeks before the end of my award ie I should have received today What does this mean? If the DWP have not told Maximus to drag me in for ESA reassessment then can I assume they will simply award me a stay of execution without another ESA medical? Any advice appreciated Cheers SD

:MAXIMUS: Who have two alternative names for their service; The Health Assessment Advisory Service, which is delivered by The Centre for Health and Disability Assessments. Have from today, 2 March 2015, become responsible for work capability assessments, which help to determine eligibility for employment and support allowance. Their Head Office Address for comments, complaints and queries about face to face assessments is; Customer Relations Team, Health Assessment Advisory Service, Room 4E04, Quarry House, Quarry Hill, Leeds, LS2 7UA. For telephone contact they've taken over the Atos helpdesk/helpline number of; 08002 888777 There's a new address for electronic mail; [email protected] And their website address for work capability assessments is; https://www.chdauk.co.uk/ Margaret.

http://diaryofabenefitscrounger.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/new-job.html The worst part of this is she went from being deemed unfit for work indefinitely to a £60k salaried management position, a nice point for IDS to press i am sure. Is she a sellout or could she do some good from within? (Her own words)

I am now put on the wp day one induction now I have to see s money advisor Monday for what no money to advise day two Barking & Dagenham College?????? though you could not go to college?????? is this is what Maximus is about answers please.

If this happens, well then I fear for the future. http://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewthread/7241/ “Global firm Maximus are in pole position for the £500million UK Government contract, despite a history of allegations of corruption, incompetence and discrimination. The successful bidder will be announced next week ....” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/company-fined-millions-fraud-tipped-4457618 http://disabilitynewsservice.com/2014/10/incompetence-discrimination-and-fraud-the-us-company-that-could-take-over-from-atos/

My story Up until April this year I was claiming JSA in a couples claim with my Husband we had the enhanced rate of £225.05 per week due to my Husband being over pension credit age, we were aware that on 8th April he would be getting £210 per week state pension and I would only be able to claim the difference between that and the £222.05, at the same time my husband would be getting an annuity of £250 per month plus a lump sum of £15k and I would therefore not be able to claim income based JSA at all, in the middle of this I was put on the WP with maximus I only had an induction meeting which was a morning of being told how seriously they take my security and the checks that they make before they had even asked for any ID from ME it was a total joke The day I was due to go to my next maximus meeting my husband got a letter stating his lump sum would be paid that week, so I signed off that day and didn't attend the meeting . Since then they keep sending me letters saying I am on the wp until 30/03/16 I have rung them many times and explained that I am only on the wp if I sign on again and I wont ever be signing on again as A I wont get income based and B have worked for 43 years and have paid in enough for my pension ( have had a future pension statement which confirms this) so wont need to sign on for national insurance credits. I now have a job (which I refuse to tell them about) so MAY be entitled to contribution based JSA in the future (but wont bother to claim). I am feeling harassed how do I get them to stop writing to me