CONTROVERSIAL benefits assessor Atos says the DWP stopped them from helping a Callander man who was facing homelessness after a bureaucratic cock-up.

In Thursday’s National we reported how Alan Buchanan, a 65-year-old bedridden stroke victim had his benefits cut when an assessor for the new Personal Independence Payment supposedly turned up two hours early.

Buchanan’s local MP Stephen Paterson brought the case to the attention of Theresa May during Wednesday’s Prime Minister’s Questions.

Now, Atos have hit back saying it wasn’t their fault that Buchanan lost out.

In a letter to the SNP MP they say they tried to reschedule but the DWP wouldn’t let them. The firm also claim they were never told to come at 11am, which is why they arrived at 9am.

Buchanan’s wife Heather insisted that call was made, as it would have been impossible for the Atos inspector to properly assess her husband’s condition before then, as his carers are in to bathe, toilet and dress the retired businessman.

“For someone to come before that... it’s impossible to speak to him,” Heather said.

Atos say there are concerned that Paterson’s question to the Prime Minister on Wednesday “misrepresented” their response to Buchanan’s situation.

In their letter, Atos write: “we felt there could be good cause to re-schedule the face-to-face assessment and we contacted the DWP to explain the circumstances and request that they consider revisiting the case. The DWP declined this request.”

Paterson told The National it was was yet another illustration of the heartless, ideological bureaucracy of the Tory’s running of the DWP.

He said: “The fact that the UK Government’s Department of Work and Pensions refused to allow any flexibility in dealing with this case is a damning indictment of the brutal benefits regime being administered by the Tory Government.”

Paterson added: “The stopping of lifeline benefits seems to be the first and only step they are willing to take, and vulnerable people facing the most difficult of situations caring for loved ones are left to fight an uncompromising bureaucracy no matter how genuine their need.

“My fear is that there are many others who have suffered the injustice of losing the benefits to which they are entitled due to the patently unfair and ruthless way in which the benefits system is run under the Tories.”

A DWP spokesman said: “We’re looking in to Mr Buchanan’s case and will keep in direct contact with him. In the meantime, his benefits are in payment and he has been paid up to date.”

On Thursday the Scottish Government revealed they would not be using private firms to assessing disable people for benefits under the new Scottish Social Security agency.

Minister for social security Jeane Freeman confirmed private contractors such as Atos, Concentrix and Maximus would not be involved in administrating the 11 benefits being devolved to the Scottish Parliament.

She told MSPs that profit-making should not form a part of decisions about people’s medical capability or whether they qualify for help and that Scotland’s system would be more humane and efficient.