Here’s one for you guys – got thrown out of two “assessments” for allegedly intimidating their staff (asking for written details why i can’t record myself, and stating that i believe the system is rigged to pass 1 in 8 and that they are killing people – and my notes might be for a legal action)
then got a letter the working day before third one, stating that if i intimidate any more staff i would be “referred to the DWP” (- sanctions…) not giving me time to do anything about it such as taking legal advice.
of course i failed the 3rd, as i knew i was very likely to, with zero points for my back and mental health problems.
i then complained about the allegations of intimidation, which the DWP also mentioned in writing, and they are not backing down.
so – got our lovely advocacy lady to help me with the appeal, she showed me the descriptors for the WCA. intimidating behaviour is 15 points straight away.
as she said, they can’t have it both ways! add to this all the exaggerations and other things that are simply not true, or twisted to look “fit for full time work” and its just what i believed, totally corrupt and just plain wrong.
ta for taking the time to read this.
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paul8ar 
Haha, so you got 15 points for threatening behaviour at appeal I presume, proven by their letter to you stating you did in fact display threatening behaviour. That is great, by being arses they proved your case for you. 🙂 Well done
no – again ignored, but i got into the WRAG group by being nonest about what it’s like living with my spinal problems. 🙂
Hi Angela
ta for your comment. the odd thing now is that nobody seems to want to pick up on this insanity. i am now going to appeal in the normal way.
very frustrating, with such an obvious clear cut case of total ies on their part.
know any good lawyers?
cheers
No lawyers in my life I’m afraid, but I wish you good luck, kick some arse!!
Oh, I lol’d, somewhat mirthlessly.
I had wondered about their stance on this kind of thing.
You go for it pal, expose the contradictions inherent in their system.
Might I ask, from what organisation is your advocate? (She sounds eminently sensible.) My partner is at the point of appealing and we need help, so any recommendation of those who can assist is appreciated.
Solidarity.
Whilst we know your case your reasonable and valid questions for the assessor were not symptomatic of any mental health condition, they may well be for other individuals attending assessments and this highlights that they have wholly inadequate mental health awareness training….
Are they by this behaviour demonstrating a ‘stance’ they take on people questioning the process or behaviour whilst doing so? For many people who are unwell with their mental health diagnosis their behaviour can be interpreted as intimidating or agressive and this is reaction from staff is very worrying.
when i got thrown out, i had seen some reports that atos play dirty. so i immediately complained to the dwp, atos and my mp that the company and their hcp’s are not fit for purpose (which is true) as thay can’t cope with a few firmly put home truths.
i think their only way to save face with the dwp was to say i had been intimidating. or they would have to admit that their staff can’t cope with the reality of what they are doing.
the cards a re well stacked against us, as it looks like atos are being protected, but anything that throws a spanner in the works has got to help.
the full story is here:
ATOS failed to tell me about my assessments & the DWP promised that I would get a phone call to arrange a replacement appointment, they didn’t phone & the DWP blame me for ATOS’s failure to communicate. To punish me they stopped my benefit & refused me Income Support, thanks to ATOS I now have zero income yet I’m expected to pay Council Tax & Bedroom Tax of over £24 a week.
Lawyers are expensive , but Which have a new system that if you can pay 39 pounds 50 pence a year You can have specialist lawyers working for you which I think is good
really? wow – would you be able to post a link, if possible, please?
HA ha nice one. any good lawyer will sit in on this one 😉 Hit them where it hurts lol
hi =- ta, but what amazes me is that i have tried, and no-one wants to pick up on it. odd.
fightback4justice on facebook are really good with this sort of thing
You are legally entitled to insist they record the assement and give you a copy at the end. In fact if everybody did that you could really hurt ATOS’s profits, they only have 2 units for my area so they would have to buy more and pay to employ and train extra staff to use them
Whilst I understand and can empathise with your plight its important to stress that DWP staff will rightly not accept any form of harassment or intimidation from clients.
indeed – but my point is that my behaviour was not threatening, but firm and clear, which i have witnesses for.
however the member of staff had no alternative but to cite intimidation, due to their lack of suitable training, to explain to the dwp why they had thrown me out. (i have copies of emails between DWP and atos showing this.
so, if i had been intimidating, i should have been put into the full, 15 point, support group. as stated clearly on the wca guidelines.
therefore I have been accused in writing of intimidation, which is an immediate pass into the support group of 15 pts.
wrong on all counts, namely the lack of training of atos staff, who must be presented with people with many and varied mental illnesses, and the lie regarding my behaviour. further compounded by their inconsistency in giving points out.
the whole thing is a total sham, a process which is wholly aimed at removing people from benefit.