Dreaded atos assessment on Friday...

[Quixotic]

I also meant to ask, what happens after the assessment, do they let you know there and then what the outcome is or give a print out of the conclusion? i'm not sure what to do afterwards..... i've seen other people mention on other posts about getting a copy of the assessment but i'm not sure how this is done, if dwp automatically send a copy or if atos do, I generally don't have a clue what happens after!

[leemack]

You don't find out at the assessment, you'll get sent a letter, or like many of us, the first we know is either a backdated payment, or no payment if we fail.. You have to ask for a copy of the assessment after the decision. The decision can take anything from a few weeks to (reportedly) a few months to arrive.

 

Regarding questions. They ask about your current conditions and meds, maybe short history of illness. Then lots of really stupid questions about daily life - like do you go shopping, do you have a pet, do you do housework, do you watch tv, do you use a computer, do you socialise, how did you get here today. etc etc

 

The assessment can last anything from 10 minutes to - I think mine was over 45 mins. But then I refused to answer yes or no to a single question - I wouldn't even use the word yes or no. I answered every question as an explanation and she couldn't use any of the drop down menu answers and had to write each answer in herself.

[Quixotic]

what's the backdated payment for leemack? i'm attending this way before 13 weeks, it's only been about 8-9 weeks for me, does that mean I won't find out until 13 weeks? i'm not sure what happens in terms of payments if you pass before 13 weeks.

[Quixotic]

Wonder why my account states i'm a guest..... when I made an account, I did make it when the site was glitchy yesterday though, could be why?

[honeybee13]

Wonder why my account states i'm a guest..... when I made an account, I did make it when the site was glitchy yesterday though, could be why?

 

I wondered that too, haven't seen it before. If you want to try and change it, contact the site team via the black triangle at the bottom of one of your posts and they'll change it if they can.

 

Please let us know how it goes today. I've been there too - and lived to tell the tale.

 

My best, HB

[Quixotic]

Thanks for that honeybee13, I was trying to figure out how to ask/report it! and it's not until tomorrow, I will post as soon as I can afterwards and let you all know how it went, I feel sick just thinking about it now so no idea how i'll be tomorrow with having to face going to such a public place.

[Quixotic]

I also meant to ask, in the assessment, will there be any sort of physical examination or will it just be talking? i'm not sure if they do physical examinations for mental health too, from reading other posts I have it in my mind they will be asking me to lift an arm then declare i'm fit!

[leemack]

If your assessment is before the end of the 13 week assessment phase then there's no backdating, if successful your rate would just increase after the thirteen week point or a decision is made (whichever is the latter), so if you get a decision in your favour before the 13 week point you just get a letter telling you your rate will increase from the day after the 13 weeks is up. They generally do a physical exam (if you can call it that) regardless - certainly on the mental health claimants I've seen.

[Quixotic]

What does the physical exam involve?

[honeybee13]

Thanks for that honeybee13, I was trying to figure out how to ask/report it! and it's not until tomorrow, I will post as soon as I can afterwards and let you all know how it went, I feel sick just thinking about it now so no idea how i'll be tomorrow with having to face going to such a public place.

 

You're right, I don't even know what day it is. How sad is that?

 

I had an Atos 'medical' for mental health when I was claiming IB. I had said I also had back pain and the doctor had a very cursory look and tested the wrong part of my back. It could be different for ESA, Leemack should know.

 

My best, HB

[leemack]

I didn't have a full physical exam as part of it was physically impossible. But from what I understand its things like bending arms and knees, testing grip strength, touching the floor from standing. Some more specific tests may be done dependant on condition for instance a short eye test. But all this varies according to the examiner - as with anything some cut corners. The mental health section has proven difficult to 'examine', therefore too many assumptions are made from daily living, meaning the test is unfair for those with mental health problems, meaning only those who answer the questions in the right way are successful. Luckily the appeal process is much fairer and even if unsuccessful at medical, with good evidence there is a good chance at appeal.

[chrisd8780]

HI

 

Don't want to make you dread it more but read in other posts they would probably pass a corpse fit for work and have had my own bad experience and am now stuck in a dilemma from it all.

 

I went on it after SSP pay ran out had a physical problem which meant I couldn't do my extremely heavy lifting job. Went to the medical so called professional just asked silly questions if I go out etc and hardly examined my arm and even said at one point dont push yourself as I dont want it dislocating in here. When I walked out I can remember thinking she was too nice and will stab me in back. Few weeks later I scored a grand total of 0 points, appealed and lost probably because I didn't attend as I was told by community legal advice I couldn't win the appeal. Not well enough for my job but can carry an empty cardboard box etc so no help for me all I want is help and training to find more suitable work.

 

Biggest advice is WATCH EVERYTHING you say as they will hold it against you. And don't worry too much you can't change what will happen just appeal it if it goes wrong way and come back on here for advice wish I had done now.

[chrisd8780]

Reapplied for it seven weeks ago after losing appeal and being told I cant get JSA or income support. Rung them up today to be told I can't get it unless doctor gives another note saying condition is worse when in truth it is the same. The facts are I cannot do the job I am employed to do but cant pass the stupid medical. cant get JSA because still employed and employer wont terminate because they have to pay me notice etc. Job interview, doctors, and ring a solicitor I think tomorrow

[bs0lth]

Just wanted to pop by and say Good luck tomorrow. dont worry too much tonight, and I hope it goes well for you.

[Quixotic]

Sorry to hear that chrisd8780, it's one of those situations of too ill to work but not ill enough to be accepted on benefits, bit odd really, can you not get support from your doc? I know good doctors who are interested are few and far between nowadays though!

[Quixotic]

Thanks so much bs0lth, to be honest I am worrying/even more stressed, even my medication isn't overly helping! I don't think there's anything that will make me relaxed about it, just want to get it over and done with.

[whitecraig_wizard]

Dear Q,

 

I am sure like all here, we wish you the best of luck with today.

 

W_W

[honeybee13]

You can do this. Just try to remember what Leemack said and refuse to answer Yes or No to the questions. We're thinking of you today, I'll have the nerves for you , I'm good at that. Don't worry.

 

HB x

[Quixotic]

Hey everyone, just to let you know that's it's over with now, what a horrible experience! it wasn't like what I expected, I expected a really professional environment with stern

doctors in suits and the person that conducted it, no idea if they were even a medical professional, i'd have expected them to know the side effects of medication and not have to go look at the leaflet in the medication box to check I wasn't asked any of the stupid questions, I expected someone to be firing questions at me and barking "only answer yes or no" it wasn't like that at all, they seemed to want detailed answers and they typed ALOT so i'm not too sure how it went, in some ways I wish they had asked the silly questions because then i'd feel like they have a lot of information, I thought all the questions in the questionnare would have been re-asked, I guess I just have to wait now, I got told that it's not them that decide on the claim, the report by them gets sent to dwp and they are the ones who decide based on all the evidence, not sure if that's true, I was lead to believe it was a computer that decided! and it's slightly contradictive in a way because they are the ones conducting the report... which is obviously what determines the outcome, therefore it is them who decide, in my eyes.

[whitecraig_wizard]

Dear Q,

 

Congratulations on surviving, I hope it wasn't as bad as you anticipated. Some are good, some are bad, problem is they should ALL be good and aren't.

 

What they said is correct a Decision maker at the DWP makes the decision, funny that eh, however they base their decision on, yes you've guessed it on the information supplied by ATOS.

 

Don't forget to write asking for a copy of the assessment and also any further information held about you. It can be all to easy for wrong information to get in.

 

I do hope that you find the time to relax, even for a couple of minutes.

 

Roman wasn't built in a day, but it was finished on one !

 

Take care,

 

W_W

[Quixotic]

@whitecraig_wizard & honeybee13

 

thank you for the good luck this morning and all the help you've given, it was pretty bad to be honest, guess it just feels like being interrogated!

 

Do you know how long they take to respond to people after the assessments? also who do I request a copy from, will I not have to wait until dwp contact me before I can get a copy? is there anything I need to do right now/be requesting? sorry for all the questions, I just don't want to find myself in a situation of not knowing what has to be done now, although i'd like to think that i'd have been informed by the person today if there's anything I need to do.

[chrisd8780]

Got an appointment this afternoon. But with a doctor I have not seen before. Hopefully they will help although I will have to pass the medical again which I probably won't. At least it will buy me some time while I try and get lighter alternative employment.

 

If not I will have to resign on health grounds and try for JSA again, that will be employer 1 little man 0 though as they will avoid paying me my notice 8/9 weeks money. But not many other options can't live on nothing.

 

Good luck although you may not find out for a week or longer via letter.

[Quixotic]

Goodluck chrisd8780, make sure the doctor listens to you, I know doctors can be pushy and they like to sit there and tell you how you feel rather than the other way around!

[chrisd8780]

@whitecraig_wizard & honeybee13

 

thank you for the good luck this morning and all the help you've given, it was pretty bad to be honest, guess it just feels like being interrogated!

 

Do you know how long they take to respond to people after the assessments? also who do I request a copy from, will I not have to wait until dwp contact me before I can get a copy? is there anything I need to do right now/be requesting? sorry for all the questions, I just don't want to find myself in a situation of not knowing what has to be done now, although i'd like to think that i'd have been informed by the person today if there's anything I need to do.[/quote They should send you all the information in a big packet it will tell you the result on a letterand you should get a booklet saying how many points you scored on each descriptor/section if my memory is correct. It takes a few weeks, and in my case it came about 10 - 14 days after the date of the letter so I had a gap in my payments until I appealed. And without going into detail told other benefits I was getting that my claim had ended and I got a letter saying the other benefits were going to be stopped as a result of the ESA cancellation before I even got the result from DWP. so I had the hassle of going down into my town centre on a bus with my arm in a sling to tell them I would be appealing the ESA. When I received my letter my arm was still in the sling and at the bottom it said what you should do now is go back to work. ]

[whitecraig_wizard]

Dear Chris,

 

Good luck, take your time and don't let them rush you.

 

It can always be helpful to get them to answer what information they have and highlight any changes or deterioration since the last appointment.