Annoucement about the 'Welfare/ATOS/Government debate' thread

[ErikaPNP]

Some regular posters will have noted that the The Welfare/ATOS/Government debate thread is missing. The thread has been withdrawn. It will not be reinstated. The thread initially started as a way for people to collate their experiences with the intention of proactive group action. Unfortunately with the passage of time, the thread disintegrated and became a hotbed for consistent flouting of the forum rules, the spamming of various links and a lot of misinformation. In spite of the best intentions of the thread, it wandered way off the course it was designed for which is a great shame for those users who made worthwhile contributions, and for those who found the contributions useful.

 

The subject is still very much in the limelight and the source of unrest for many of CAG users. Although the thread was no longer serving its intended purpose, it's clear that many users got something out of it from being able to discuss matters, and it was of particular help to people who were about to go through the assessment and were nervous at the prospect of the assessment itself followed by the possibility of being found fit for work. There are stuck threads which address the assessment and the appeal process, courtesy of Honeybee and Leemack; it would be useful to also have a place where people can ask questions or generally chat about these issues. I am keen therefore, to have a thread where people new to the experience of ATOS can collate with people who have been through it. With that in mind, I have sent an invitation to a member who has had an ATOS experience and who successfully appealed against their assessment, to start a new thread on the subject.

 

The new thread has now been started and can be found by clicking here

 

However all posts must remain within the forum rules and links should not be posted unless they link to factual information. Additionally those links must not contain information which we would not allow on CAG within the terms of our own forum rules. Please remember that for many of our members, a thread where they can talk about this issue is like a sanctuary and it is grossly unfair to them when a thread has to be removed. If the forum rules are not adhered to, it will result in moderation of those posts without notice, and may result in the new thread being closed too. If this happens, there will not be an opportunity for a further thread. I would also like to remind everyone that when they post on CAG they are expected to read and agree to the forum rules before they post. Users who consistently flout the rules ruin the experience for others and may have restrictions placed on their accounts.

Edited August 23, 2011 by ErikaPNP
Edited to add link to new thread.