17 yr Autistic daughter just refused PIP

Hello all,
Just wanted to share this. 
I have just today heard from DWP after a very long fight for six months or more regarding my autistic adult child. We had sent all the evidence in back in December, And specifically said that he would not be suitable for a face-to-face assessment due to being severe. This was clearly ignored as the person who dealt with his case was not experienced or familiar with autism at all. I decided to use an advocacy service, after fighting PIP for a while on my own,(I’m quite used to doing this, but PIP is a different level) and have to say that it was the best thing I ever did! 
Please please please check what advocacy services you have available in your area, and especially for mental health issues, we were allocated somebody who specialised in what we needed help with?, This is what they are there for, and I wanted to share our experience, because I almost gave up which is unlike me. I don't want to see any more people have their benefits revoked as a result of inexperienced workers that do not understand a written report or written evidence when it is presented to them. As of today we received the PIP decision and it is very good news, but we would not have got this without the help from the advocate and their legal team?
Do not give up and do not let them win, you will get what you are entitled to if you are a genuine case and you have the help of people who are in the know and of course the supporting evidence.
I have included a written apology (obviously with names excluded) that was received from ATOS to my advocate, trying to get an apology from New is usually worse than trying to get blood out of a stone but as you can see it can be done. So please do not give up ?
Good luck everyone
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ATOS RESPONSE TO ADVOCATE

Dear 

Re 
Thank you for your recent email in which you express your concerns on behalf of 
with regard to application for Personal Independence Payment
(PIP).
I would like to apologise for the inconvenience that has been caused to and
It is not our intention to cause any distress and I appreciate that the process has
not run smoothly in this case.

As part of Atos Healthcare’s commitment to provide a service of the highest standard, it is
important that we continue to be open and receptive to the views of those whose lives are
affected by the service that we provide. I am, therefore, grateful for the feedback, which has given me the opportunity to investigate the concerns raised.

From reading your complaint I understand tha xxxxxx is unhappy that xxxxxxxxx
was asked to attend an assessment centre appointment, that the reason they did not attend the appointment was not accepted by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and that this resulted in the withdrawal of his benefit entitlement.

With regard to DWP not accepting the reasonxxxxxxxx did not attend the assessment
centre appointment and xxxxxxxx benefit entitlement being withdrawn, Atos are not
involved in this decision and xxxxxxx should direct any further questions relating to this
matter to the DWP on
It may be helpful if I explain that all applications received from the DWP are subject to an
initial review, an office based Health Professional (HP) reviews the PIP2 questionnaire
alongside any supporting evidence provided and makes a decision as to whether or not it is necessary to carry out a face to face consultation or if it is possible to complete a Paper
Based Review negating the need for an assessment.


On receipt of your correspondence, I asked one of our Client Relations Medical Advisors
(CRMA), a senior clinician who works alongside the complaints team, to review the evidence
available on the DWP database. He advised that the evidence available identifies xxxxxxxxx
as a vulnerable adult for whom a face to face assessment would undoubtedly be a difficult
and stressful experience and therefore a face to face assessment would not be appropriate.

I can confirm that the HP who completed the initial scrutiny allocated an assessment centre
appointment in error and I would like to offer my sincere apologies to xxxxxxxxxxxx for and the distress this has caused. I can assure you that feedback has been
provided to the manager of the HP concerned to be addressed as a training issue and
appropriate action taken.

xxxxxxxxxxxx claim was reviewed again on xxxxx 2017 and the HP contacted the manager
of xxxxxxxxxxxx for additional information, a Paper Based Review has now been completed
and the report submitted to the DWP for the Decision Maker to complete their process.
I acknowledge that the withdrawal of xxxxxxxx benefit was a direct result of the error
made during the processing of his benefit referral by Atos Healthcare, in order to rectify the
situation I contacted the DWP on xxxx 2017 on xxxxxx behalf. I provided details of
our error and asked the DWP to reinstate the DLA award until the decision regarding
xxxxxxxxxx entitlement to PIP is made. The DWP have confirmed that the decision has been
reconsidered and they will write to xxxxxx separately to advise her of the outcome.
Please be assured that errors such as this are rare and Atos Healthcare take all complaints
very seriously as the information contained within them is invaluable in enabling us to
monitor and improve our level of service. I would, therefore, like to thank you for the
details of xxxxxxxxxxx experience, all of which will be kept on file for future reference.
Atos Healthcare strives to provide all customers who undergo an examination in respect of a
benefit claim with a professional and courteous service. Once again please pass on my
sincere apologies to xxxxxxxxxxxxxx for the distress and inconvenience that has
been caused on this occasion.
I hope that any future dealings with xxxxxxxxxxx has with our service will not give cause for
concern.
Yours sincerely
xxxxxxxxxx
PIP Client Relations Officer
Atos Healthcare

Hello all,
Just wanted to share this. 
I have just today heard from DWP after a very long fight for six months or more regarding my autistic adult child. We had sent all the evidence in back in December, And specifically said that he would not be suitable for a face-to-face assessment due to being severe. This was clearly ignored as the person who dealt with his case was not experienced or familiar with autism at all. I decided to use an advocacy service, after fighting PIP for a while on my own,(I’m quite used to doing this, but PIP is a different level) and have to say that it was the best thing I ever did! 
Please please please check what advocacy services you have available in your area, and especially for mental health issues, we were allocated somebody who specialised in what we needed help with?, This is what they are there for, and I wanted to share our experience, because I almost gave up which is unlike me. I don't want to see any more people have their benefits revoked as a result of inexperienced workers that do not understand a written report or written evidence when it is presented to them. As of today we received the PIP decision and it is very good news, but we would not have got this without the help from the advocate and their legal team?
Do not give up and do not let them win, you will get what you are entitled to if you are a genuine case and you have the help of people who are in the know and of course the supporting evidence.
I have included a written apology (obviously with names excluded) that was received from ATOS to my advocate, trying to get an apology from New is usually worse than trying to get blood out of a stone but as you can see it can be done. So please do not give up ?
Good luck everyone
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ATOS RESPONSE TO ADVOCATE

Dear 

Re 
Thank you for your recent email in which you express your concerns on behalf of 
with regard to application for Personal Independence Payment
(PIP).
I would like to apologise for the inconvenience that has been caused to and
It is not our intention to cause any distress and I appreciate that the process has
not run smoothly in this case.

As part of Atos Healthcare’s commitment to provide a service of the highest standard, it is
important that we continue to be open and receptive to the views of those whose lives are
affected by the service that we provide. I am, therefore, grateful for the feedback, which has given me the opportunity to investigate the concerns raised.

From reading your complaint I understand tha xxxxxx is unhappy that xxxxxxxxx
was asked to attend an assessment centre appointment, that the reason they did not attend the appointment was not accepted by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and that this resulted in the withdrawal of his benefit entitlement.

With regard to DWP not accepting the reasonxxxxxxxx did not attend the assessment
centre appointment and xxxxxxxx benefit entitlement being withdrawn, Atos are not
involved in this decision and xxxxxxx should direct any further questions relating to this
matter to the DWP on
It may be helpful if I explain that all applications received from the DWP are subject to an
initial review, an office based Health Professional (HP) reviews the PIP2 questionnaire
alongside any supporting evidence provided and makes a decision as to whether or not it is necessary to carry out a face to face consultation or if it is possible to complete a Paper
Based Review negating the need for an assessment.


On receipt of your correspondence, I asked one of our Client Relations Medical Advisors
(CRMA), a senior clinician who works alongside the complaints team, to review the evidence
available on the DWP database. He advised that the evidence available identifies xxxxxxxxx
as a vulnerable adult for whom a face to face assessment would undoubtedly be a difficult
and stressful experience and therefore a face to face assessment would not be appropriate.

I can confirm that the HP who completed the initial scrutiny allocated an assessment centre
appointment in error and I would like to offer my sincere apologies to xxxxxxxxxxxx for and the distress this has caused. I can assure you that feedback has been
provided to the manager of the HP concerned to be addressed as a training issue and
appropriate action taken.

xxxxxxxxxxxx claim was reviewed again on xxxxx 2017 and the HP contacted the manager
of xxxxxxxxxxxx for additional information, a Paper Based Review has now been completed
and the report submitted to the DWP for the Decision Maker to complete their process.
I acknowledge that the withdrawal of xxxxxxxx benefit was a direct result of the error
made during the processing of his benefit referral by Atos Healthcare, in order to rectify the
situation I contacted the DWP on xxxx 2017 on xxxxxx behalf. I provided details of
our error and asked the DWP to reinstate the DLA award until the decision regarding
xxxxxxxxxx entitlement to PIP is made. The DWP have confirmed that the decision has been
reconsidered and they will write to xxxxxx separately to advise her of the outcome.
Please be assured that errors such as this are rare and Atos Healthcare take all complaints
very seriously as the information contained within them is invaluable in enabling us to
monitor and improve our level of service. I would, therefore, like to thank you for the
details of xxxxxxxxxxx experience, all of which will be kept on file for future reference.
Atos Healthcare strives to provide all customers who undergo an examination in respect of a
benefit claim with a professional and courteous service. Once again please pass on my
sincere apologies to xxxxxxxxxxxxxx for the distress and inconvenience that has
been caused on this occasion.
I hope that any future dealings with xxxxxxxxxxx has with our service will not give cause for
concern.
Yours sincerely
xxxxxxxxxx
PIP Client Relations Officer
Atos Healthcare