Does anybody know how to get around this problem?

[Nem]

Morning all. I have a difficult issue that I need to find a solution for pretty sharpish, my own fault for leaving it so late. My brother has been called for another ATOS assessment and refuses to comply. He refuses to have anything to do with them ever again after the despicable way they treated him last time and, to be honest, I can't blame him, I don't want to ever have anything to do with them again either.
My issue then is, how do I stop us from losing all of the benefits that we rely on to get by when my brother would literally rather end his life than go through their degrading and humiliating assessment process? What provision is made for people in this situation or am I right in suspecting that the response from them is going to be "Just die then and save us the money, the assessments are law!"?
Apologies for being so grim but it seems to be a pretty stark choice

[Henrietta]

I can only suggest that you muster up some calm vibes and put your question over the phone to the Atos teama nd see what there response is.
What did your brother find particularly degrading? Was it more the manner (or lack of people skills) of the assessor- if so perhaps you could ask for someone else . Are you aloud to sit in yourself for the assessment and "oversee it?"

[Nem]

Thanks for the reply Henrietta. It was the whole process really, they were rude, obnoxious, dismissive of my attempts to explain his condition (I was in the assessment with him as his appointee), lied on their report and branded him "mentally abnormal" because of the pain he suffers. The following two year battle to try to overturn the decision was incredibly stressful and demoralising and he simply can't face it again, I'm not sure I can either to be honest. As for their attitude over the phone, it's pretty much the same, he has to attend as it's the law; no attendance, no benefits. I just wondered if there was any other provision that had been made for people like my brother who literally refuse to cooperate with them? The last I saw, people in his situation were basically being told "tough, we don't care".

[jenny lucas]

Hmm, I don't know whether this is possible, or available, but it sounds like this is the sort of situation where you and your brother should have some kind of 'patient advocate' with you. If you think about it, something like a 'lawyer' should be with you to act as witness to the behaviour of the officials (WHO ARE PAID BY US BY THE WAY AND THEY SHOULD NEVER EVER FORGET IT! They exist to serve US! It is OUR MONEY they are disbursing!!!!!).

Even just taking a 'neutral third party' along might help stop that kind of behaviour towards you and your brother???

[crocus]

TBH Nem, Ive got a nasty feeling that nothing has changed. Id really, really like to be wrong.

[Scally]

Try for a home visit?

[Nem]

Thanks Jenny, it does sound like a good idea, but my brother has lost all trust in outside organisations I'm afraid, he's been given false hope and let down far too often already. As for them caring whether or not we pay for their services, I'm pretty sure that ATOS is already fully aware that our government has set out it's stall on this matter and ATOS will be the beneficiary of our taxes regardless of our opinions on the matter. Their response to our MP's enquiries has proven that to both us and her.
Thanks Crocus, but unless I hear otherwise, I don't think anything has changed.
Thanks Scally, but he doesn't want anyone of that ilk within a hundred miles of our home, I think, if anything, it would be worse. I certainly don't think I could trust myself to allow one into my home, I'm a very calm and tolerant guy (you have to be to do this job, right?), but I could definitely have hospitalised or worse the last one without a second thought. I've met only a very few truly evil people in my life, but she is definitely one of them.
I guess I just have to face the fact that all of our benefits are going to be stopped (again), despite the fact that we're entitled to them and IDS gets to crow about how he's saving the country money.
Back to claiming ESA I suppose and trying to manage on that alone and making sure that it doesn't compromise my brother's safety or wellbeing, what a life!

[crocus]

Ive had a thought - would your MP be able to help?

[caravanj]

Do you know from the appointment form that it's going to be the same assessor as last time?

If so then I'd contact ATOS & ask for a different assessor as you might just have got a bad one on a bad day.

It's also worth asking for a home visit.

My wife had a DWP visit to make me her appointee & she's had two ATOS assessments & they couldn't have been nicer & we can't fault them.

That said, your brother will lose benefits if he's a 'no show'.

[Nem]

Thanks Crocus, I'm afraid I don't know, she's new to the job having just been elected but she is a doctor, I'm thinking it might be worth a go although we're running out of time .

Thanks caravanj, I'm pretty certain that it wouldn't be the same assessor unless she followed us here, we had to move home after the last assessment as we couldn't keep up the mortgage. Again, as said, the home visit isn't an option. You must have been very lucky, the DWP and assessors we've had come to our home have been thoroughly horrible. They all seem to be convinced that we are liars who are trying to cheat the system. My suspicion is that it's because my brother's physical issue is a spinal injury which seems to be the preferred excuse of the scum that get exposed defrauding the system.