My nephew is blind. He's been blind since birth. Every doctor, every specialist, every bit of paper says so. For nearly 30 years, he has been deemed sightless. It's important that you know this, so you can appreciate the miracle I am about to unfold.
He recently went to have an employment support allowance assessment. On arrival they said "But what are you doing here: you're blind!" Assessment was done and nephew taken home (he has local guides and a friendly taxi driver).
Some point during that assessment, a miracle occurred. ATOS have found nephew to be partially sighted! Not blind at all! How could we all have been so blind! He's partially sighted! And as such not eligible for ESA. But of course they stopped the payment before he received notification of the miracle. He, foolish boy, hasn't even noticed his sight had been partially restored. It must be quite a shock to see FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER.
Alas tis no miracle but what we in the trade call a Cock Up. He has 28 days to appeal and the RNIB are providing legal advice. But no one can help my niece who is beside herself with financial worry now.
This is your tax pennies at work here. Paying for a private company to make erroneous judgements. Causing extra work at additional cost. To you.
So I ask you, dear reader, to share this tale with anyone you see fit, call your MP. Ask them where your money is going. And what is being done to put right these sorts of mistakes? We can only get things changed if we speak up. Together.
for fucks sake ..every day there's something else !
ReplyDeleteThis stupid govt.and their minions fill me with utter rage!
Utterly disgusting the way ATOS interviews are conducted.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't be at all surprised if he was surreptitiously watched in the waiting room, and his life-long-learned coping-strategies just for not tripping over the furniture, were misinterpreted as "he must be able to see a little bit" by some target-oriented ignoramus.