Christmas is coming and Atos is getting fat...

...stealing the pennies from the old man's hat.


The very wonderful people at National Protest against the Benefit Cuts have a neat idea for Christmas. Call our friends at Atos and tell them what we think of them. Please phone Atos 0800 783 3040/020 7830 4444 #atos & support mass phone complaint this week http://t.co/4k1zHA74

And if you're lost for words, why not sing them a seasonal carol?


God Rest You Merry Gentlemen,
let nothing ye dismay,
For Atos your good saviour
will take your pains away,
And lead you down to Tesco
To work till Christmas Day

Oh Tidings of Comfort and Joy, Comfort and Joy

Oh Tidings of Comfort and Joy.

(with thanks to the Atos Miracles FB guys)

The First Nowell, Atos Healthcare did say

To certain poor claimants in beds where they lay

Their legs where they lay, too painful  to sleep

On a cold winter’s night that was so deep

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel

You’ve done our assessment & now you are well

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel

You’re fit for work now so go out and sell

Good King Atos he looked out

On the feast of Stephen
When the snow lay round about
Deep and crisp and even
Brightly shone the moon that night
Though the frost was cruel
When a poor man came in sight
struggling with his fuel


Page and monarch went upstairs
Up they went together
Ignoring  claimant’s wild lament
And the bitter weather
"Sire, the stairs are too steep now
I can go no longer."Hither, page, and stand by me
If thou know'st it, telling
Yonder claimant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?"
"Sire, he lives a good league hence
Underneath the mountain
Right against the forest fence
By Saint Agnes' fountain."
"Bring my laptop, bring my pens
Tell him to come hither
Thou and I will question him
When we bear him thither."

Fails my heart, I know not how,
I wish that

 I was  stronger."
"My laptop tells me different son.

No points means you are fit now

So go and get yourself a job

Quick get on with it now”

So the claimant left the house
Too tired to make a protest
Weak and ill and failing fast
he lay in the snow to rest
Therefore, Christian men, be sure
Wealth or rank possessing
Ye who do not bless the poor
Won’t yourselves find blessing 

Coalition Cancer

Every time we read about this government's approach to benefit claimants we despair. Today, we heard this - that all cancer patients in stage 1V chemotherapy are to be put onto ESA, just like those in stage 1V radiotherapy -http://diaryofabenefitscrounger.blogspot.com/2011/12/government-cancer-pr-disaster.html?spref=tw

For those who are uninitiated in cancer speak, Stage 1V cancer is the end of the road. Being on Stage 1V chemo means that you're not going to beat your illness, you're not going to be one of those jolly survivors the media love to celebrate. What you are going to do is create a little bit more time on earth with the people you love to say goodbye. Anyone who has witnessed a friend or relative have radiotherapy or chemotherapy can testify to how unpleasant it is. On top of an already painful and debilitating illness, the person will be constantly vomiting (on chemotherapy) or so weak they can hardly get up (on radiotherapy).  How in God's name anyone with that degree of illness and in the middle of treatment is supposed to be work ready we cannot fathom.

Furthermore, if any of us were at this stage of end of life, what we'd want is to be to enjoy the last bit of time we have with the people we love in peace and dignity. The last thing a seriously ill person needs is to be worrying about WCA and whether they have enough money to pay the bills.

Yet another example of the cancerous heart of this coalition government. And another reason to stand up & shout ENOUGH.

Kindred spirits

We love the internet and twitter for bringing people together in a common cause.


We just met these The Atos Register of Shame today, who are also collecting ATOS stories and publishing them online. So  if you want your story online too please do email them too at atosvictimsgroup@gmail.com & follow them on twitter @AtosVictims1.


They're doing great work!

ATOS STORIES BEGIN...

Who are we?

We are the Atos Story Collective.

If you don't know about ATOS you can find out more here, here and here

We want to tell the stories that ATOS would like to ban.

We have no names in solidarity with all the voices that ATOS has silenced.

What do we want to do?

We want to hear from people who have experienced  ATOS assessments. We will use these stories to create a piece of drama that tells the world the truth about ATOS Healthcare.  We recognise that some people will wish to remain anonymous, and will respect that anonymity, but will credit those who wish to make their face public. If we collect too many stories to put into a play, we will publish the rest as a downloadable document for people to share to support each other and assist with campaigning.

If you'd like to share your story with us, please send it to atosstories@gmail.com  by 31st December 2011. We promise to acknowledge every story and make sure to use it as effectively as we can.

We will test this play with audiences to fine tune it. When we are satisfied it works we will put the script up on this website. We want people to download it and put it on in their communities in the build up to the 2012 Paralympics.  We will encourage people to video their performances and upload them on this website.

On August 29^th 2011 we intend to perform Atos Stories in Tower Hamlets to coincide with the launch of the Paralympics. We will invite followers of this site to do the same wherever you are.

So if you give a toss, spread the word, send us your stories,  and then join us in telling them to the world.