Atos assessment death rate dwarfs that of soldiers in Afghanistan

The headline says it all.

Some people reading this might think it tasteless to compare the number of people who have died while going through the Atos/DWP assessment process for Employment and Support Allowance with the number of soldiers who have given their lives for their country in Afghanistan. I don’t.

Consider the outpouring of sorrow that takes place when one of our soldiers dies. They deserve that recognition; they have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Sick and disabled people who have died because our bullying government’s assessment system caused more stress than their weakened system could handle – they don’t get that kind of recognition. Perhaps it’s because it is an action of their own government that is killing them.

Perhaps you will look more kindly on the sick and disabled of this country when you read the following:

According to the BBC, by October 30 this year, the total number of British soldiers who had died in Afghanistan since military operations began there in 2002 was 437.

That’s equivalent to the number of sick or disabled people who die – while going through the Atos/DWP work capability assessment system (or as a result of going through it) – every six weeks.

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7 Comments

  1. Jane Kinnear November 6, 2012 at 10:42 pm - Reply

    The only individuals who may consider this tasteless are those who want to throw up a smokescreen of fake indignation to detract from the message it conveys. Every time I see more and more about this I truly despair. Well done for putting the truth ‘ out there’ because God knows, nobody else is doing it xxx

  2. Silver November 7, 2012 at 8:09 am - Reply

    Not only does this group get people killed by their wca assessments.It also threatens sites which challenges them.

    Kudos to you,for having the heart,and guts to speak out.

    Evil exists when good men do nothing.Thanks for shining a light in a dark corner.A beacon of hope.

  3. william hawkins November 7, 2012 at 4:47 pm - Reply

    Whilst I appreciate what is said, there is a missing point here about soldiers. Soldiers injured in conflict either physical and/or mentally make up a large portion of today’s disabled,not only that, they are abandoned by the MOD within weeks. they go through a similar process as ATOS with the MOD in a vain attempt to obtain justified compensation or pensions. The MOD put virtually unsurmountable obstacles in their way, forcing to go through appeals processes for years and years. I my self fought for five years, despite a mountain of written evidence from DRs and Consultants. Then when by back paid pensions arrived the DSS took two thirds of it. Then in order to get incapacity I had to do the ATOS thing. So we do double the process and wait years for payment and made to appear as criminals for daring to apply for compensation/pensions which at maximium is a £100 a week. Soldiers disabilities are so traumatic that they are never temporary, but because of our training we dont lie around we try and defy society and achieve. (that is no slur on you civvies, but we are different).

    • Mike Sivier November 7, 2012 at 6:33 pm - Reply

      Thank you very much indeed for that, Mr Hawkins; you are absolutely right.
      I was not aware of the process that ex-soldiers have to undergo; now that I am, I sympathise strongly with you.
      It’s yet another aspect of an increasingly horrifying situation.

    • Chris November 29, 2012 at 8:54 pm - Reply

      No offence but what makes you think ‘us civvies’ lie around ?

  4. jeffrey davies (@jeffrey33333) November 8, 2012 at 12:50 pm - Reply

    im ex and not given any treatment different to anybody else by atos the killers of the sick and disabled and should like america be fined and shown the door but there again our ids seems to be in love with them saving his dwp billions but also paying it back out to his freinds who can and do award themselves millions in bonuses now this whot a call a greedy party where money means more than lifes of the disabled sick and unemployed jeff3

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