CONTRACT KILLED: ‘Toxic brand’ ATOS exit work assessment contract early as Condems rush to appoint new benefits assassin to go after the disabled, weak & vulnerable

Benefits test company ATOS to leave work assessment contract early. ATOS, the French IT company contracted out by the Tory led Condem Westminster Government to cut the sick, disabled & elderly’s benefits to nothing, is to finish its contract early, Government ministers have confirmed. The early termination of the work assessment contract with ATOS – who were branded “Contract Killers” in hearings at the Scottish Parliament ten days ago, comes amid mounting criticism of the company’s treatment of disabled people and media investigations that linked ATOS to the deaths of hundreds of Scots & thousands of the disabled, ill, vulnerable & the elderly across the UK.

However there is mounting speculation that some kind of back door financial deal has been done between the Westminster Government and ATOS to get the company out of the headlines before next year’s General Election, and this year’s Independence Referendum in Scotland, where ATOS cuts to benefits claimants have particularly hit hard among Scots communities of the vulnerable, long term ill and disabled, leading to hardship, poverty, homelessness and rising numbers of suicides.

The early quit notice from ATOS, who were due to finish their contract in August 2015 follows feeble UK government criticism over "significant quality failures". Commenting on ATOS desire to end its contract, Disabilities Minister Mike Penning said a new company would be appointed in early 2015. Mr Penning also claimed Atos would not receive "a single penny of compensation".

BUT ATOS will also continue with assessments for the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) benefit  in Scotland, the north of England, London and the south of England. Another company, Capita, provide PIP assessments in central England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

PIP, which replaced DLA (Disability Living Allowance) is another controversial reform introduced by the Condems who want to cut all benefits claims from disabled persons for even the lowest level of payments which could make all the difference in their lives.

ATOS claimed in a statement it would "work hard to support transition to a new provider", adding: "We will be transferring our infrastructure and employees to ensure consistency of service to those going through the process. "There will be no change for those applying for Employment and Support Allowance."

Last month, ATOS said it was seeking to end its government contract under which it carried out the Work Capability Assessments in Scotland, England & Wales. However, ATOS will continue to carry out the assessments in Northern Ireland under a separate contract.

All claimants applying for Employment and Support Allowance must undergo the ATOS Work Capability Assessment to see how their illness or disability affects their ability to work. Atos has been criticised over the number of these assessments it has made as well as for lengthy waiting times and refusals which have led to many deaths of people throughout the UK, a figure put at a staggering 32 benefits test related deaths every week. Disability campaigners have described the work tests as "ridiculously harsh and extremely unfair".

Public and Commercial Services union general secretary, Mark Serwotka, said the assessments were "designed to harass vulnerable people and take their benefits away rather than provide support and guidance".

"Doctors, MPs and disabled people all believe the tests should be scrapped so, instead of replacing the failed Atos with another profit-hungry provider, the government should bring the work in-house and invest in it properly."

And charity Sense called for a "root-and-branch reform of the system to ensure disabled people are judged fairly on their ability to work".

PETITION TO HOLRYOOD SLAMMED ATOS AS CONTRACT KILLERS:

MSPs heard company linked to deaths of disabled claimants should be dropped from Commonwealth Games sponsorship. A PETITION to the Scottish Parliament calling on the organising Committee of the 2014 Commonwealth Games to drop the ATOS sickness benefits assessment company as the games sponsors was heard by MSPs at Holyrood on Tuesday 18 March 2914. ATOS has been linked in the media to the deaths of hundreds of Scots & thousands of the disabled, ill, vulnerable & the elderly across the UK.

The petition, which readers are urged to support, calls on the Scottish Parliament to urge the organising Committee to drop ATOS as a sponsor for the 2014 Commonwealth Games because ATOS have taken disability and sickness benefits away from poor and vulnerable people, reducing them to penury and extreme poverty.

The petition further states that “In addition, many people have died before the ATOS Fit for Work Assessment has been completed. The practices of this company are not compatible with Scottish social democratic values and therefore we call on the Petitions Committee to put our case to the Scottish Parliament so that the Parliament can reflect the opinions of many people in Scotland that ATOS be dropped as a sponsor for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.”

Sean Clerkin, and Iain MacInnes, Secretary, Glasgow against ATOS, gave evidence to msps on the practices of the ATOS company contracted by the Westminster ConDem coalition to cut benefits spending. ATOS have been widely linked in the media to deaths involving disability victims after they had been judged fit for work and had their benefits taken away.

Petitioner Sean Clerkin told MSPs he believed Atos were "contract killers" who were "not fit" to sponsor the 2014 Commonwealth Games, on 18 March 2014. Mr Clerkin's petition calls for the Scottish Parliament to urge the 2014 Commonwealth Games' organising committee to drop IT company Atos as a sponsor. He told the Public Petitions Committee the company, who assess whether benefits claimants are fit to work, were a "toxic brand".

Scottish Law Reporter has previously reported on difficulties in the benefits system, where it was revealed in an earlier report of the deaths of over ONE THOUSAND PEOPLE who had been declared ‘fit for work’ as a direct result of ‘fitness for work tests carried out by ATOS on the orders of the Conservative Liberal-Democrat Coalition Government in Westminster. Further reports on ATOS are HERE

In November 2012 The People's Review of the Work Capability Assessment was published by the Spartacus network of disability researchers and campaigners.

This supplementary report of December 2013, which Ekklesia is pleased to make available and endorse, contains further compelling evidence of the need for change.

After introducing the issues and the annual reviews of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and the Work Capability Assessment (WCA), it documents the reality for those directly impacted: deaths and suicides; accounts from MPs and advisers; the direct experience of sick and disabled people; views expressed by medical and other professionals; opinions from public bodies,;views expressed by Church leaders; and views expressed by charities and Disabled People’s Organisations.

The report then looks at the policy context: the UK’s human rights obligations under UN conventions; monitoring of standards; the financial cost of the WCA; contractual and audit issues; work-related obligations and sanctions; training of WCA assessors; progress on the audio recording of assessments; the long-delayed 'Gold Standard' Evidence Based Review; the Court of Appeal ruling that the WCA is discriminatory; a final summary and conclusion. (72pp., PDF format)

The Sunday Mail newspaper has previously reported on how badly the UK Government & ATOS are treating Scots in need:

A SICK JOKE : Benefits clawback firm promise 'brighter future' but victim speaks out

Jul 17 2011 Mark Aitken, Sunday Mail

A PRIVATE firm hired to slash benefits are promising "a brighter future" to claimants whose payouts are stopped. Atos Healthcare are being paid £100million a year by the Tories to reassess people on disability and sickness benefits and drive them back to work.

They pay doctors up to £60,000 a year to assess whether claimants are fit to work. In a job advert for doctors, they claim: "You could make the difference that gives someone on incapacity benefit a brighter future." The advert, published on the British Medical Journal website, adds: "It's a vitally important role that aims to change lives for the better."

Labour MP Tom Greatrex, who has campaigned on the issue, branded the ad as "insulting". The Rutherglen and Hamilton West MP said: "The Tory-led government need to get a grip on Atos as a matter of urgency. "This advert is an insult to the thousands of people across the country who have been let down by the shambolic way Atos conduct their assessments.

"The idea that Atos are giving people on incapacity benefit a brighter future would be laughable were it not causing so much distress and pain to those who have been unfortunate enough to go through the process of their assessments."Rather than advertising for more highly paid staff, the Tory-led government should demand Atos sort themselves out, so their assessments are fair and reasonable."

Last week, the Sunday Mail revealed bungled rulings were costing taxpayers £50million. Around 30,000 people appealed against their decisions, with 40 per cent of them successful, which has cost the government around £50million. But UK employment minister Chris Grayling has admitted no money has been claimed back from the firm for poor medical advice.

An Atos spokeswoman said: "We have no comment on the advert."

Chemo patient's despair at ruling : Maggie Mackay was assessed by Atos as "fit to work" when she was still recovering from chemotherapy. The 51-year-old, from Glengarnock, Ayrshire, was a furniture restorer before breast cancer stopped her in her tracks.

She had radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery but was then assessed as being to fit to work by Atos and taken off disability benefit. Maggie, who bravely took part in our Breast Cancer Care Fashion Show last year, has launched an appeal.

She said: "Two weeks ago I had more surgery as my scar was not healing properly. My side effects include fatigue, not being able to sleep, very sore bones and memory loss. "The young woman didn't seem interested. I can't squat because I have two slipped discs."But she wrote in her report that I could squat. She made out I was perfectly fit and healthy. "Everything you say is twisted to make out that you are fit for work. I now have £8 a day to live on."

Data shows ConDems Bedroom Tax linked to increase in rent arrears all over Scotland

The UK Government’s “disastrous” welfare reform programme has led to a rise in rent arrears and a rise in emergency housing payments across local authorities, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said today.

New data collected by the Scottish Government and COSLA shows that UK Government changes to housing benefit have added significant financial pressures on Scottish councils.

The research showed that all, but one, of Scotland’s local authorities with housing stock, had seen an increase in rent arrears. Three quarters of councils said that the bedroom tax is directly responsible for the increase in arrears.

Of that rent now due to be collected from tenants affected, 60 per cent of councils reported receiving 40 per cent or less and 80 per cent of councils reported receiving 50 per cent or less (based on responses from 20 of the 26 councils with their own housing stock).

Ms Sturgeon said that it was ‘absolutely imperative’ that the DWP review and evaluate the impact of their welfare reforms as a matter of urgency.

Last month, research showed that local authorities had received 22,000 requests for emergency Discretionary Housing payments by the end of May.  Nineteen local authorities saw a 400 per cent rise compared to the same period last year. And by the end of May, 22 per cent of the £10 million funds made available in Scotland for DHPs by the Department for Work and Pensions had been allocated.

Ms Sturgeon said: “This new data shows a drastic increase in the number of people applying for emergency funding to help them deal with the impact of the UK disastrous welfare reform programme.
“Local authorities across Scotland are having to deal with the appalling aftermath of the bedroom tax, which is hitting our most vulnerable citizens, including a high proportion of disabled people, extremely hard in these challenging economic times.

“The Scottish Government and COSLA have had little indication from the UK Government about how they intend to review the impact of the bedroom tax to date - even though it is clear from this research that it is driving up rent arrears and requests for emergency funds.

”That is why we have made a commitment to the people of Scotland that we will scrap the bedroom tax following a successful referendum vote next year. This will be done within a year of independence and we will have the practical arrangements in place to ensure that this happens.

“Working with our partners in local government we have provided £40 million to protect households from the 10 per cent cut in successor arrangements to Council Tax Benefit. We have also allocated funding to support people affected by the bedroom tax with an additional £7.9 million for advice and support services, of which £2.5 million is ring fenced for social landlords.

“We cannot mitigate the full impacts of the UK Government’s cuts to the welfare system without full powers over welfare or access to all our resources – but we will continue to oppose the bedroom tax. It is unfair and divisive policy that hit some of our most vulnerable groups hardest, and it undermines and jeopardises the work this Government is taking forward to create a fairer, more successful, and prosperous Scotland.”

Public urged to protest, Scottish Councils told to use loopholes as Conservative-LibDem BEDROOM TAX set to evict thousands of Scots from their homes

ADVICE for landlords and Scotland’s local authorities on the looming start of the Conservative Coalition Government’s Bedroom Tax, viewed by many as a new Poll Tax which may well end up evicting thousands of families across Scotland from their present dwellings, has been issued by the Scottish Government to landlords and local authorities.

The advice to landlords is not to evict, and Councils are asked to use legal loopholes to avoid throwing tenants out of their homes. However, the advice is just that, advice, and only £2.5 million has been offered by the Scottish government for advice and support for victims of housing benefit cuts.

The figures are stark, with an estimated 105,000 working-age tenants in Scotland facing the wrath of the Tories Bedroom Tax meaning around 80% of the households who will suffer include at least one disabled adult. Tenants face having 14 per cent of their housing benefit stopped and those with two spare rooms will lose a quarter of their benefit – an average of £50 to £90 every month, courtesy of the ConDem Westminster Government.

While some Scottish councils have announced they will boycott David Cameron’s Bedroom Tax, it remains to be seen how many of Scotland’s 32 local authorities will defy the Scottish Government on this issue.

Advice issued by campaigners against the Bedroom Tax includes getting involved in protests across the country, and making sure your remaining Conservative and Liberal Democrat Councillors & politicians who are in Scotland, get the message. 

The Scottish Government’s Press Release : Advice for landlords on 'Bedroom Tax'

Landlords should consider all possible options and use all reasonable means to prevent evictions of housing tenants struggling to pay rent due to the bedroom tax, Housing Minister Margaret Burgess said today.

The Scottish Government has called for the UK Government’s under occupancy measures, that will cut housing benefit for those deemed to have a spare room, to be scrapped.

However, the policy remains set to come into force in April, and the Scottish Government has already made extra funding available to help provide advice and support for those who will lose out.

The Minister has now also written to landlords across Scotland to encourage them to consider the example of Dundee City Council, which is protecting tenants who genuinely cannot make up the shortfall in rent caused by the bedroom tax, which comes into force in April.

The Council has committed that, where the Director of Housing is satisfied that affected tenants are doing all that can be reasonably expected to in order to avoid falling into arrears, they will use all legitimate means to collect rent due, except eviction.

The letter also makes landlords aware that in certain circumstances it may be possible to reclassify rooms so they are not considered bedrooms. For example, this may help tenants who use an extra room to store equipment related to a disability and therefore do not use that room as a bedroom.

Mrs Burgess’ letter also:

* reiterates Scottish Government opposition to the introduction of the bedroom tax

* highlights Scottish Government action to help tenants

* points out the shortfall in discretionary housing payments provided by the Westminster to Scotland to help those affected by housing benefit changes

Mrs Burgess said: “I have made the Scottish Government’s opposition to the bedroom tax absolutely clear. Indeed, I put the case for it to be scrapped in the strongest terms to Lord Freud when we met in London. Sadly there appears to be indifference to this argument at Westminster, despite strong opposition from across Scotland. This will undoubtedly be leaving tenants, some of whom could lose a quarter of their housing benefit in April, seriously worried.

“That is why we have made an extra £2.5 million available to social landlords to ensure people affected by housing benefits changes have the advice and support they need. That is on top of the £5.4 million we have already provided to advice services to help those affected by benefit reforms.

“I have now written to landlords to encourage them to look sympathetically on tenants affected. We already have strong safeguards in place to ensure eviction is an absolute last resort. While we do not want to see tenants run up debts they cannot pay, it is important, in what will be challenging times, that extra consideration is given to people who are having housing benefit taken away.

“Dundee City Council has taken innovative action on this, clarifying that, where tenants are doing all that can be reasonably expected in order to avoid falling into arrears, they will use all legitimate means to collect rent due, except eviction. I know other councils are also working towards a similar position and I hope landlords across Scotland can follow this example.

“There are also circumstances where a bedroom’s classification may be changed and tenants not penalised.  Again, I would encourage landlords to consider this possibility and work with their local authority if at all possible. But we simply cannot mitigate all the negative impacts of welfare reform or the bedroom tax.

“This illustrates that rather than simply trying to cushion the blows in Scotland, we need the powers of independence to cut them off at source. It would be far better to control benefits and welfare so unfair policies like the bedroom tax are not even considered, let alone implemented.”

Text from the letter includes:

“The bedroom tax also takes no account of circumstances in Scotland.  Of the estimated 105,000 households in Scotland which  will be affected by the penalty, around 78,000 would need to move to one bedroom accommodation in order to avoid the penalty.  Last year there were also 23,000 homeless applications which would require one bedroom accommodation under DWP’s criteria.  However there are only around 20,000 social lets of one bedroom properties each year.”

On DHPs:

"The Department for Work and Pension’s answer to this is in Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs).  However, this is inadequate in Scotland.  By DWP’s own analysis, London and Scotland will have the same number of people affected by the bedroom tax.  However, London is set to receive £56m in DHPs while Scotland will receive £10m. This is just  6.5% of the total DHP allocation for next year despite having 16% of the total number of people due to be affected by the bedroom tax in Great Britain."

On reclassification of bedrooms:

“I would also like to make you aware of flexibility that exists to classify bedrooms in your properties for the purpose of housing benefit.  A process of reclassification is available, on a variety of grounds, for properties where circumstances change.  For example, where a tenant requires an extra room to store equipment if he or she is disabled and therefore cannot use that room as a bedroom.  The process is one that DWP leave up to the consideration of landlords and Local Authorities and involves landlords contacting their local authority Housing Benefit section to inform them of the change of classification.”

On tenants and landlords:

“We all agree that evictions are seen as a last resort.  While we absolutely do not want to see tenants run up debts they cannot pay, or see landlords left out of pocket, this will be a very difficult time, when those who lose out will benefit from extra support and understanding.  We have already provided additional protection for tenants through Pre Action Requirements.

“You may wish to be aware of the policy adopted by Dundee City Council which I believe provides a useful template to protect tenants who genuinely cannot make up the shortfall in rent caused by the bedroom tax.  The Council has committed that, where the Director of Housing is satisfied that affected tenants are doing all that can be reasonably expected to in order to avoid falling into arrears, they will use all legitimate means to collect rent due, except eviction.  I would encourage you to consider this as a mechanism to protect the most vulnerable of your tenants.”