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PIP WAITING TIMES FOR ATOS ASSESSMENTS
Please can someone point me in the right direction to find out any updates for the waiting times for a PIP medical assessment via ATOS. Our clients are waiting months from when they put in their claim , but they do seem to get a date for the assessment when we complain via ATOS Customer Services. I have read one or two things on T’Internet but thought someone else may be more clued up. I have seen that Atos are not carrying out any repeat assessments for ESA in order to get waiting times down but didn’t know if this would make the PIP waiting times any less.Thanks
My understanding is that it’s different people doing assessments for PIP & ESA so their waiting lists won’t have an impact on each other.
Complaints in writing have done nothing to speed up any of my cases…
The only success in getting one arranged at short notice has been the clt themselves phoning ATOS up every morning to enquire if they’ve had a cancellation.
I was surprised and dismayed when I called PIPS last week and heard a pre recorded message discouraging claimants from chasing up PIPS claims unless they had been waiting for AT LEAST 26 weeks for a decision. In my view this is a fundamentaly unacceptable delay and I am advising everyone who contacts me about this to write to their MP about it as I can’t think of anything else to suggest.
From the PIP toolkit (google it):
•From initial claim to decision is expected to take 12-15 weeks. However, the process is currently taking longer, can take 21-26 weeks
•Claimants should receive PIP2 form from DWP within 2 weeks from making the initial phone call.
•After the PIP2 is returned to DWP it will be passed to the assessment provider (AP)
•If f2f appointment is needed then could take between 12-16 weeks to arrange the appointment.
•Following the appointment the AP will send their report to DWP
•On receiving the report the DWP will make decision and notify applicant within three weeks
However, the toolkit doesn’t give info for the following questions. Don’t know if anyone can help?
1) After the pip2 form has been returned to DWP by the claimant it will be passed to the assessment provider (AP). Is this something that will happen instantly or is there a guideline on how long we might expect this to take?
2) After AP receives all evidence needed (so for most people after a face to face assessment has been completed) they will produce a report and send it back to DWP. Following receipt of report DWP will take roughly 3 weeks to come up with a decision. How long could we expect the AP to take to complete their report and send to DWP?
I was surprised and dismayed when I called PIPS last week and heard a pre recorded message discouraging claimants from chasing up PIPS claims unless they had been waiting for AT LEAST 26 weeks for a decision. In my view this is a fundamentaly unacceptable delay and I am advising everyone who contacts me about this to write to their MP about it as I can’t think of anything else to suggest.
Isn’t telling people that part of the “improvements” to the PIP process proudly announced in this month’s Touchbase?
I went to a DWP meeting on April 1st (dont laugh) and they told me that the department was embarrased about how PIP was “performing”
They even apologised to us advisers, which was nice, but it still isnt bringing down the waiting list.
I chased up a pip claim with DWP after hearing nothing for 7 months, passed security under implied consent, and they told me to call Atos as they referred the PIP2 to Atos 7 months ago.
I asked the DWP if there was any follow up, as 7 months had elapsed and client never even had medical, and i was told “NO”.
I called Atos, and they refused to talk to me. DWP do implicit consent, Atos dont.
Innit marvellous?
The assistant for one of the MPs in Stockport has a contact number for ATOS. We have been contacting him (the assistant) about any of that MP’s constituents that have been waiting a while, and the assistant has got back to us the same day with an appointment! Presumbably other MPs could also do this.
When I rang ATOS yesterday I was told in all seriousness by whoever I spoke to that they don’t have a backlog, only some ‘slight delays’. The client I was ringing about has been awaiting a date since last July but when I pointed this out (and asked what the definition of a ‘slight delay’ was) I was told again that there is NO backlog (so clearly we have always been at war with Oceania). They also couldn’t (or wouldn’t) give me any idea whatsoever as to how long it is likely to be.
Not exactly on point but the following anecdote suggests Atos may be having trouble in recruiting HCPs to carry out PIPs. I know someone who applied to be a mental health PIP assessor and was called for a 2 day training course in London. Atos expected 10 applicants but only two attended (for two trainers - one each!). The other attendee was someone who had worked for Atos previously on ESA WCAs. At the end of the course there was an assessment exercise which both of them failed. Atos offered both the chance to attend the following week for a two-day course in Manchester but no accommodation or travel so neither took it up. Presumably the appeal rate has meant that Atos are trying to have a more rigorous assessment procedure?