ESA: Do the DWP / ATOS expect you to work even if you are often in severe pain?

[Zarbafi]

I am on ESA and my condition means that I am often in severe pain and have to take very strong pain killers and other medications which do help ease my pain after a few hours and bedrest but they also knock me out leaving me out of it and often sleeping for hours.

 

These attacks come on randomly normally several times a week and I have no idea when they will be. I am sure many other people on ESA are in the same boat and what I wonder is what do you think the DWP and ATOS's take on severe pain is? Do they really take that into account when deciding on someones capacity for work? Or do they think that you should just be able to work through severe pain?

[DanscoCAB]

Simple answer is yes! All ATOSS will do is view you when you attend your interview & you can say what you like about the pain you suffer - they will ignore it!

 

Then appeal & the Tribunal Service will listen

[debt4get]

the answer to that simple question is a resounding...YES...rATOS will not listen to a single word you say....but good luck with 'medical' anyway...you never know!!

[SWLABR9]

At the Atos assessment your assessor will ust make a ot of stuff up. Technically they're allowed to as they're allowed to put as the answer what they think the answer is, not what you've said. So you can report you're in uge pain etc and they'll happily put down you have no problems with pain at all. The government has gone to considerable lengths to put these people beyond any kind of accountability so there's not a lot you can do about it in the immediate fiuture. You can get the details of who assessed you though, after you've been failed, and make a lengthy detailed complaint to their organisation about their behaviour. You can swear an affidavit about it too.

[debt4get]

when you get the appointment..thats if you do....make sure you ask for the 'medical' to be recorded...they wont want to do it..as it a problem for them..but they have to comply....if they dont take a recorder in with you...they will twist and turn at every stage..but stick to your guns..otherwise they will walk over you...

[osdset]

Be prepared to be found fit for work regardless of your condition, ATOS HCP's are blind and deaf to anything that contradicts the agenda they have, which is to deny your claim by using any underhand trick in the book.

Expect to fail the assessment and you won't be disappointed.

[KraigO]

Just come back from tribunal which I won ! I went to ATOS medical. I have severe pain resulting from fractured spine and other probs. ATOS scored me zero points. I was so angry. Severe pain will result in very few points from ATOS. They are sly, and are trained to trip you up at every oppportunity. They will ask you everything about how you get from A to B. Prepare to be asked EXACTLY "How did yoyu get here today ?", "How do you get your children to school ?","How do you shop ?". Don`t worry about ATOS. No matter what you say, they will make up their own answers. DON`T WORRY ! MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THE "DESCRIPTORS". These are the questions around which you need to get your points. MOST IMPORTANT POINT - they watch you from the moment you are in their sight. Ask for help to open every door. I mean, EVERY DOOR. I took a bag of meds with me and placed them on the desk. ATOS criticised me for being able to put them back into a plastic bag without help. ASK FOR THEIR HELP IF YOU NEED TO LIFT/MOVE anything. They are watching every move you make. When you are called in ask for help with the doors. Say "I can`t open this door on my own. Could someone help me please ?". Don`t get paranoid, please ! Just warning you if you get a letter saying you have scored zero points DON`T worry. It`s happening to thousands every week. Just appeal. I will keep an eye out for your posts and help you all I can just like the other Caggers. Appeal is by far the best way to get your point across to nice, listening individuals (unlike ATOSH) and, providing you prepare very well, you WILL win in the end. Don`t be disheartened by my comments but I have yet to meet someone who has beaten ATOS at the first stage. It can be done though. Don`t forget ATOS scored me zero points. The appeal group just awarded me 18 points. If you need help I`ll be online for a while....best of luck.

[SWLABR9]

I'm forming the opinion that you can beat them if your doctor tells them it isn't safe for you to do work or work-related activity because it could be dangerous for you or for others.

[count orlok]

When I filled out my form i told them about the severe pain I got. I said that when in pain I get very angry and sometimes kick off. I am in the support group.

[Zarbafi]

Just come back from tribunal which I won ! I went to ATOS medical. I have severe pain resulting from fractured spine and other probs. ATOS scored me zero points. I was so angry. Severe pain will result in very few points from ATOS. They are sly, and are trained to trip you up at every oppportunity. They will ask you everything about how you get from A to B. Prepare to be asked EXACTLY "How did yoyu get here today ?", "How do you get your children to school ?","How do you shop ?". Don`t worry about ATOS. No matter what you say, they will make up their own answers. DON`T WORRY ! MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THE "DESCRIPTORS". These are the questions around which you need to get your points. MOST IMPORTANT POINT - they watch you from the moment you are in their sight. Ask for help to open every door. I mean, EVERY DOOR. I took a bag of meds with me and placed them on the desk. ATOS criticised me for being able to put them back into a plastic bag without help. ASK FOR THEIR HELP IF YOU NEED TO LIFT/MOVE anything. They are watching every move you make. When you are called in ask for help with the doors. Say "I can`t open this door on my own. Could someone help me please ?". Don`t get paranoid, please ! Just warning you if you get a letter saying you have scored zero points DON`T worry. It`s happening to thousands every week. Just appeal. I will keep an eye out for your posts and help you all I can just like the other Caggers. Appeal is by far the best way to get your point across to nice, listening individuals (unlike ATOSH) and, providing you prepare very well, you WILL win in the end. Don`t be disheartened by my comments but I have yet to meet someone who has beaten ATOS at the first stage. It can be done though. Don`t forget ATOS scored me zero points. The appeal group just awarded me 18 points. If you need help I`ll be online for a while....best of luck.

 

 

Hi thanks for your reply, I do know someone who was put in the support group for a "pain conditon" his ATOS doctor it seems to have been under "exceptional circumstances" though. I think the doctor was familer with his condition and felt it would unreasonable to expect him to work. I think he was very lucky though.

 

Any idea how often people do get it awarded under "exceptional circumstances" or would it really only be if they had already granted you as an exceptional case at the medical without and appeal that they would pass you though as that again?

 

Why does it have to be such a battle?

[Zarbafi]

I'm forming the opinion that you can beat them if your doctor tells them it isn't safe for you to do work or work-related activity because it could be dangerous for you or for others.

 

Depending on a pending diagnosis I may have altered conciousness but will need to wait and see, it is so unreasonable pain is not taken into account. I supposed they feel it is subjective the their for open to abuse if they allow it as a qualifying discriptor.

 

When I filled out my form i told them about the severe pain I got. I said that when in pain I get very angry and sometimes kick off. I am in the support group.

 

I don't think I could convincingly say I kicked off, I don't want to lie on the form! I probably would end up in tears though and sacked from any job I tried to do!

[Nystagmite]

There are quite a few descriptors that do mention (or imply) pain.