ESA Assessment Farce!

I have a friend who has been off work now for 18 months. He started with back problems back in 1980. He has been "signed off" by his GP and has a letter from his Consultant stating that "this gentleman is quite disabled" and has clear signs of upper motor neurone. At present he receives DLA mobility full rate and lower care.
He had to attend an ATOS medical the 16th July, I went with him as he has problems travelling and he wanted a witness. The ATOS doctor stated that my friend was NOT fit to work and that he was filling the report out to confirm this.
Today my friend received a letter from JCP stating that he had been placed in the Work Related Activity Group and must "carry out reasonable steps to manage his condition".
Three doctors, one being their own say unfit, yet they come up with "he has to move towards the workplace"?

I had a medical in the last week of May and was placed in the work related group even though I spoke maybe 8 to 12 words in over 40 minutes spending most of the time asleep (side effects of the medication I am on) The other side effect from a tablet is speech problems so how could someone manage to get through an interview with speech problems.

When the difference between the support group and work related group is only a few £'s then is it a wonder why people may not bother appealing the decision and just be grateful they are receiving the benefit as the appeal could always go the other way and say you should not have been put on the benefit in the first place

I had the same thing,medical then put into Work Related Activity Group.All i have to do is go to the job centre once a month and have a talk about work but being in that group put my money up by £20 a week

This may sound an odd question... but what is the point of going to the JC to be interviewed several times...5 or 6 in total I think - then what?? I mean, what does it actually achieve? Is it supposed to slot you into some work or something?

Totally confused about the work related category of ESA, I really am..failing to see any point to it whatsoever. yes and I'm a grown up who has attended the University of life.

BTG

... but what is the point of going to the JC to be interviewed several times...5 or 6 in total I think - then what?? I mean, what does it actually achieve? Is it supposed to slot you into some work or something?

It is devised by fatcats far away
to keep you on your nose, inn-it.

If after my medical (following thsi ESA50 sent immediately on me winning my appeal) they make me go to JC each month I will be in trouble, as they have NO PUBLIC loos in there.... I went for one meeting there about a year ago and they said I had to go to public loos in some shops some 5 mins walk away from JC, then 5 mins back... I was needing to use loo every 10-20 mins, so asked how we could get meeting done unless they did it with me in a WC... they then let me use the staff toilets every 10 mins near the massive open plan room we were all in. Now I have mobility problems as well and cannot walk far.... !

I was mortified at the JC interview, never having been in there before in my life and having to go through my medical problems in front of endless other people nearby having their own interivews is this huge room.... they could hear me and I them... there was no confidentiality at all about all our personal details. I wrote a letter of complaint that I was assured that a WC was available for me (which was not true) before meeting only to find there are no public WCs there.... the DWP did not reply to my recorded delivery letter.