So which contract have ATOS lost? ATOS have lost the contract for the Work Capability Assessment(WCA- the medical tests for Employment and Support Allowance and Universal Credit).
Why? The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Mike Penning) has said this is due to 'significant quality failures in the written reports produced by Atos following assessments.'
When will this happen? When the government appoints another national provider probably early next year. Until then ATOS will continue to provide the assessments. The contract, worth £500 million, was due to end in August 2015. Beyond this the government want more than one provider, to increase competition.
Which contracts have they kept? ATOS will still be handling medical input into two thirds of the country's claims for PIP(Personal Independence Payments). We are waiting news on how they are performing especially compared to CAPITA (who are handling the other third of claims).
ATOS also carry out assessments relating to Disability Living Allowance, Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit and War Pensions/ Armed Forces Compensation Scheme Payments.
In December Dr Paul Litchfield succeeded Professor Malcolm Harrington to produce the fourth Independent Review on the working of the WCA.
In the meantime, the further roll out of the reassessment of some PIP claims has been delayed. We mentioned in our February Newsletter that there was a handy map to show when reassessment of natural migration claims was taking place. Most of the new areas (where ATOS are delivering) seem to have been put on hold for the start of reassessment.
Get training on how to maximise your clients' benefits-
Click here for our updated Personal Independence Payments Course. Also see our Claiming as 'sick'- the WCA course.