ATOS Form (the pink one)

[essexmat]

Just had mine through, pretty quick considering I have been on ESA around a month or so. Just filled it in and going to copy all pages and send along with various medical and consultant notes costing me a fortune in copying and postage (recorded)

 

How long do you think it will take before I get any response? I am guessing they want them back ASAP to sit on them whilst they work out an appointment date? I am on assessment phase so surely they cannot do anything whilst on this (13 weeks?)

 

What happens if after the 13 weeks I am still needing to be on ESA? I aim to get another sick note (if needed) around 2-3 weks before this one runs out

 

Thanks

[honeybee13]

Hello there.

 

Are you talking about the ESA50 please? In case it helps, there is a forum stikky on completing it. If you complete it in the optimum way, it can save you problems later.

 

I'll leave it to the people in the know to answer your questions on timing.

 

HB

[essexmat]

No, it is the one direct from ATOS asking questions re health, ability to walk etc - I filled mine in as honestly as I could anyway

[reallymadwoman]

I think that probably is the ESA50 or the latest incarnation anyway.

 

Unless things have changed hugely in the last couple of years, those are sent out fairly automatically quite soon after a new claim is made. Filling it in correctly is crucial in the process of being awarded the right benefit, so read the forum sticky on ESA50s for some guidance, and also Mind have a very good guide on their website if there are any mental health problems. If you would like your assessment, if you need one, to be recorded, say so on the form either in the 'any special arrangements' bit or the further information bit or both to be on the safe side. If you've already filled yours in but want to have another go, there should be one available online to print out.

 

At some point your form and evidence will be looked at by (probably) a nurse at ATOS who may decide you need a face to face assessment, decide you don't and you should be in either the work related activity group or support group, or decide further evidence is needed. If the latter, receipt of further evidence, usually from your GP, goes back to the nurse who again decides between the various options. If you're placed straight in to one of the groups you'll get a letter from DWP letting you know. If you need an assessment (by far the majority) you'll get an appointment from ATOS at some point.

 

How long all this takes is anyone's guess. It depends on so many different factors, including where you live, that it is impossible to give general guidance. From experience however your chances of being assessed before the 13 weeks are up is zero. Just keep sending in sick notes (always keep a copy and at least get a certificate of posting, or take them to your jobcentre and get a receipt) whilst you're waiting and you'll keep being paid at the assessment rate. When/if you are put in a group, your money will be backdated to week 14 of your claim.

 

If you really want to, you can hassle ATOS for an appointment sooner rather than later however given the apparently entirely random outcome of assessments it's probably better to let them get on with it and let it go on as long as you can before you have to get involved in mandatory reconsiderations and appeals. Asking for your assessment to be recorded has the tendency to delay matters if they notice that you've asked.

[essexmat]

Thanks for the excellent advice - appreciated!

[Nystagmite]

From experience, it can take some time to get a response. I got mine 10 days after I made my claim which was July. It took them until November (I sent the form back in August) to give me a response.

 

I think the forum sticky only has the physical descriptors and not mental health ones. If you have a mental health problem, you can't use the physical descriptors and vice versa.