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Atos wiped out in PIP bidding war

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Atos has either not bid for, or has failed to win, a single contract for the new combined PIP and work capability (WCA) assessment service, with just one of five regions left to be announced. Both Maximus and Ingeus have taken regions currently held by Atos.

The Functional Assessment Services contracts are replacing both PIP contracts and contracts to carry out WCAs for employment and support allowance (ESA) and universal credit (UC). The intention is that the same company will carry out both types of assessment in any given area, until such a time as the WCA is axed completely.

At the moment, WCAs are administered by Maximus and PIP assessments by Atos (known as IAS) and Capita, with Atos having the larger share of the PIP contracts.

However, that is all set to change from 2024, with the new contracts running until 2029.

Capita have managed to hold onto their current PIP regions: the Midlands, Wales and Northern Ireland

However, in South East England, London and East Anglia Atos are losing their contacts to the multinational welfare to work giant Ingeus.

Atos will also be replaced in the North of England and Scotland, this time by Maximus who currently only carry out WCAs. The new contract in Scotland will primarily cover WCAs, as PIP is being replaced by Adult Disability Payment (ADP).

The south west of England is currently covered by Atos for PIP assessments and the winner of the new contract has yet to be announced.

The full details of the lots awarded are:

Lot 1 North England and Scotland: Maximus UK Services Limited (currently Atos)

Lot 2 Midlands and Wales: Capita Business Services (currently Capita)

Lot 4 South East England, London and East Anglia: Ingeus UK Limited (currently ATOS)

Lot 5 Northern Ireland: Capita Business Services Limited (currently Capita)

You can read the full commons statement on the new contracts here.

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  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Ben
    · 2 months ago
    These private companies allow the DWP to avoid taking responsibility for their callous disregards for vulnerable and disabled people. DWP get paid to do the job, but then they also need these front companies, it's a wase of money to pay both DWP and these third party contractors. They should also enforce qualified staff, the number of times you go for an interview with someone who is clueless about you condition or who just makes things up as they go along, I expected more from Labour.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Ben
    · 2 months ago
    Good riddance, ATOS are a bunch of cheats and liars, when I had my PIP assessment they lied on my application form and just made up evidence to dispute my claims. Lucky me, now terminal so I got awarded PIP eventually, the sad thing is that all these liars and cheats will probably just move across to Ingeus UK Limited.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    aagirl1
    · 4 months ago
    The IAS OLYMPICS start up again in earnest! They change the goalposts so much. That it makes me dizzy, my head is spinning (to quote a famous song from the 90s)
    First it was a surprise phone call today ironically, 25th June, but I phoned to get a f2f , the patronising way these people treat claimant's just makes me cross, then they quote ' you can only change it once' but its OK for them to dump on your assessment days, and times, guessing this is a tactic , as part of the assessment, I despair,  I really do
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Sarah
    · 1 years ago
    Why are they offering contracts for the combined assessments without first consulting with disabled people to hear our concerns? The WCA has its problems but so does the PIP one. Combining them might just make things worse for us.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Richard
    · 1 years ago
    Having worked in this industry both when it was in-house and also for the private contractor I can say it was more efficient when privatised, however with any outsourced contract it has to be managed effectively. In my experience that's where the main problem lies...if not delivering to prescribed service then the company needs to be held accountable. It's also such a difficult system to implement fairly because of the wide spectrum of varying conditions involved, the fact entitlement to financial support is involved and therefore virtually impossible to please everyone.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    andria2milly
    · 1 years ago
    Ingeus  

    https://ingeus.com/what-we-do

     makes them sound 
    worse than ATOS, though probs much of a muchness... (Their website made me feel even more nauseous than I usually do.) I guess they believe all their own bs though
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    LG101
    · 1 years ago
    The staff will be TUPEd across from one company to the other. 
    So the Physio who "assessed" your MH problem will be in the same role, as will the RMN who "assessed" your friends hypermobility problem. 

    In theory the companies will have different philosophies and training...
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    SAM
    · 1 years ago
    Wont they just re hire the feckless morons who worked for Atos in the new company? 🙄 Seems to me we will still be called workshy scroungers, despite working half my life as a qualified Nurse with a degree, i was assessed by someone whose last job was in Tesco 🤯
    No one chooses this life, I would swap tomorrow if i could! 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      andria2milly
      · 1 years ago
      @SAM Omg! I am so sorry to hear this. Tesco's FFS! Did they empathise at all with your situ?
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Anita
    · 1 years ago
    I waited 2 years 4 months for my PIP claim to be looked at and that was only because I called them and a very nice girl actually checked my claim and passed it on to her manager. He promised that he would personally deal with it and a decision would be made that day.  He also asked if I was willing and able to accept a substantial amount of back pay should I be awarded higher award than I previously had, to which I said yes. When I got my award I got 11 points for daily living and enhanced on mobility. I 100% should have got enhanced on both and think they only knocked that one point off so I wouldn't get this ' substantial amount' of back pay. Needless to say I have wrote a MR, which they have conveniently lost somewhere in the building,  so I have to send in another! Does anyone think I am right in thinking they're just covering up their bloop?
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Gavin Appleby
    · 1 years ago
    The firm are NOT called CRAPITA for nothing. See any entry about their uselessness in Private Eye.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    KD
    · 1 years ago
    Does anybody know if, and how, these changes will impact on contributions based support group people??
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Lisa
    · 1 years ago
    Does anyone know when the South West region will be announced? 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Mariabelle
    · 1 years ago
    I am for one so please ATOS have lost most of there groundin with examinations, I did not think that they were at all understanding of a diabled persons needs or pain thank you for printing this information.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Barry Fitzgerald
    · 1 years ago
    I have had 2 interviews with atos the first one I was refused pip the second one I got the basic which I went to a tribunal and won full pip,I have a very rare condition which took 3 years to diagnose
    I am glad that they have not been given a new contract because they told nothing but lies about the interview good riddance to them I'm just glad that they won't be able to tell lies about anyone else.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Michael
    · 1 years ago
    Boo hoo!

    The insanity continues because ATOS are still making money licensing their LIMA computer fraud to other HCPS….there is seemingly NO END to tax payers money the government is prepared to throw at private CRIMINAL providers!🪰💩
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Sharon
    · 1 years ago
    So does this WCA are still being scrapped and people will be automatically be put in the Lcwra group if claiming pip and UC thanks 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Joe ...
    · 1 years ago
    Adios atos... I still don't see why your own GP's or Consultant's assessment of your disability/ illness etc, can be overridden by bunch of none medical morons ... 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      LG101
      · 1 years ago
      @Toni Why do you keep saying the same thing?
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      LG101
      · 1 years ago
      @Toni Not quite right. It's to deny the things you can't do. Claim that you are fine. 
      Yes, many working people have health issues. The question is if they are ongoing, disabling, make it impossible to work, etc. 

      Depending on the legal entitlement applied for and/or difficulties/support required. 
      But the default setting is Computer Says No. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      jan evans
      · 1 years ago
      @Joe ... These 'morons' and their very wealthy subscribers are a world wide business.  They are given contracts from our GOVERNMENT.  Neither the Government or these quangos give a jot about us - the people.  The sooner everyone understands this, the less angry but more productive we might become.  Thankyou, to this site and others for being here for us.  Thankyou!
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Toni
      · 1 years ago
      @Joe ... its because its not a health assessment o see what is wrong with you it to see what you can and cant do many working people have health issues
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Nicholas Cole
    · 1 years ago
    So, ATOS have lost the DWP PIP contract. Good riddance to them! A plague on all their houses!

    As a stroke survivor who started paying their NI stamp on their £1 for eight hours as a Saturday boy in Tesco in 1968 and stayed in full-time employment until my stroke in 2009, I turned up at the PIP assessment as a lamb to the slaughter. I was eager to be honest and tell the young ATOS assessor (who read from a script) how hard I worked on my recovery. I later learned through B & G guides that this strategy was entirely wrong. I should have gone in fore-armed with the 'correct' answers to their questions to minimise my point score.

    I'm older and wiser now.


  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Linda
    · 1 years ago
    This might be a case of 'be careful what you wish for'. Whilst I am pleased that Atos might be heading down the Gurgler the thought of a multinational company taking the reins is terrifying. If we think the benefit system and assessment process is awful here, try being in the USA where they truly don't give a stuff if you live or die.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Jayne
    · 1 years ago
    Praise be I’m not religious but I could say other things about Atos being dropped off the nearest bureaucratic cliff, but the phrases wouldn’t be used here lol !!! It’s taken long enough for them to be replaced but my Hope perhaps alongside a great deal of other people who have mental and/or physical health and carers and support workers is that the replacement organisation provides a far greater service! 

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