Demonstrators converged on the Scottish HQ of ATOS Origin in Livingston near Edinburgh on 24 January. This profit-orientated company is contracted by the government to carry out benefits medical assessments on people with disabilities and illnesses. In other words, they do the government’s dirty work of axing support which is needed by some of the most vulnerable in our society.
Around 40 protesters made it to the bleak business park on the outskirts of Livingston that houses ATOS – a reasonable turn-out on a freezing January morning. Despite a massive police presence demonstrators took over the roadway leading into ATOS and blockaded a car that attempted to enter. The police waded in, manhandling demonstrators with disabilities.
One demonstrator wrote on the web: “I am the woman who was manhandled by so-called officer 3926. Tonight I am suffering from pains in my back, neck and side. I turned up to exercise my right to protest against the slashing of disability benefits by this and the previous UK government and a reprehensible organisation who are doing the dirty work.”
Day of Action against Benefits Cuts
Part of the 2nd UK-wide Day of Action against Benefits Cuts, the Livingston demo was called by disability rights group Black Triangle. Demonstrators came from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dumfries and Fife and other participating groups included the Fife-based Campaign against the Charges, Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty, the Right to Work Campaign and the Welfare Rights team from Dumfries. In Glasgow demonstrators leafleted people attending ATOS tests. Down south there was leafleting and protests in London, Leeds, Nottingham, Burnley, Newcastle, Lydney, Birmingham, Crawley, Chesterfield and probably more.
In London over 100 disabled protesters and claimants gathered at Triton Square, London where a noisy group made their way to the front doors of Atos’ shiny corporate headquarters despite the best efforts of police to stop them. Police formed a line protecting Atos whilst chants rang out of ‘Atos Kills’. Many people spoke out of their often heart-rending experiences at the hands of Atos’ medical testing. In Leeds protesters closed down the local ATOS branch.
“ATOS Kills” is no exaggeration. On 10 June 2010 Edinburgh poet, writer and performer Paul Reekie committed suicide. He left no last note, but spread out on the table beside him were two letters, one informing him that his Incapacity Benefit had been stopped, and the other telling him that his Housing Benefit had also been stopped.
Black Triangle write:
“Atos Origin have just been awarded a £300 million contract by the ConDem Government to continue their work carrying out ‘work capability assessments’.
It is claimed assessments tests are to test what people can do rather than what they can’t. The real purpose is to strip benefits from as many people as possible.
This testing system has already led to people with terminal illnesses and severe medical conditions being declared fit for work and having benefits cut. GP’s are ignored in favour of decisions made by Atos Origin’s computer.
Plans announced for the scrapping of Disability Living Allowance have also revealed that this intrusive testing is likely to be extended to everyone on some form of disability or health related benefit.
To date around 40% of appeals against Atos Origin’s decisions have been successful.
The Government plans to cut £2.5 billion from Employment Support Allowance. Plans to limit the benefit to just one year will mean that even those who are deemed unable to work will be presumed to have made a miraculous recovery. Meanwhile the budget for Disability Living Allowance is to be cut by 20%.
With the recent changes in Housing Benefit and possible changes to Council Tax benefit, these cuts will leave hundreds of thousands of people with severe health problems without enough money to feed themselves and heat their homes.
That’s if they aren’t forced into unpaid labour, no doubt inflicted on them by poverty pimps like SERCO and Action for Employment. Whilst millions of people face homelessness, disruption, debt and ill health the gravy train is being extended for those companies which seek to profit from the misery of others.
It’s time to fightback and hold these companies to account.”
If you would like to get involved in activity in Edinburgh and Lothians, such as leafleting people attending ATOS, or participating in demos and actions at ATOS, please email ecap@lists.riseup.net
If you live elsewhere we can try and put you in touch with groups near you.
Thanks to Edinburgh University Anti Cuts Alliance, benefitclaimantsfightback and Black Triangle
