I caught Atos lying about contacting my Doctors – PIP Assesment

So it’s arrived, my Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Atos assesment. I knew it would happen but the way it’s happened, no.

I’m currently on Disability Living Allowance, at the beginning of May I received the forms to begin my transition to Personal Independence Payment (PIP). That’s fine, I knew it was coming. I filled them in a returned them immediately. I got a text saying they’d been received on 28th May.

On Friday, 4th June I received this letter from Atos on behalf on the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) saying that, in order to process my application they’ll be contacting my various, (8), health professionals. This is entirely normal and I’d expect no less.

The part that catches my eye, and you’ll see why soon, is;

“We’ve done this to make sure the assessment report we send to the DWP about your case is fair and accurate”

So that was Friday 8th June, I received that letter.

Today I wake up and there’s mail, usual junk but immediately I notice the unmistakable Atos envelope.

Inside the letter dated 6th June, (just 2 days after the previous one), they inform me that I will be having a home assesment done next Monday 18th June.

“One of our health professionals has looked at the information you sent to DWP, as well as any further information they asked for from the people involved in your treatment or care“.

Are they seriously trying to say they contacted all my doctors and health professionals, got detailed reports from them all, reviewed them and decided I need an assessment in less than two days? I don’t think so.

To be sure, I called my GP’s surgery and the secretary of the main hospital consultant who see’s me most, to check they’d completed reports.

My GP surgery had only just received the request from Atos for details, and the consultants secretary confirmed that they’d had the request on the 6th June, but hadn’t had time to respond yet.

I’m utterly shocked that Atos have been so brazen in their lies. This after them coming under pressure recently for poor practice too.

I will be writing to the Work and Pensions committe to show them this blatant pack of lies and contacting my MP.

In meantime, I will have my assessment next week and let everyone know how it goes.

Alex @RespectIsVital

You can also find me on Facebook by searching “Universal Credit Sufferer”

On a separate note the DWP were contacted by STV news for comment on my situation and the DWP spokesman said “this doesn’t happen to be a guy called Alex”. So they’re definitely aware…

I don’t get paid for what I do but if you would like to make a donation I’d be eternally grateful. I try to be as informative and accurate as possible and hope that you all find my writing interesting. You can donate by clicking here.

7 comments