Raw deal

Atos, the French company charged with getting people off benefits and back to work, has, to date, been awarded government contracts amounting to 
in excess of £3 billion of tax-
payers’ money (your report, 19 September).

The cost to the Department 
of Work and Pensions for the period between April 2010 and March 2012 was £112 million, and this year so far is on track to be even greater.

For these huge sums of money, this firm is acting as a new form of witchfinder and seems 
determined ruthlessly to tick boxes and force individuals off benefit, apparently for reasons that, in some cases, do not seem valid.

Everyone understands that the benefits system has to be brought under control and 
that some people have been milking the system for years, but surely this can be done in a reasonable manner without causing so much real upset to people who are genuinely 
deserving of the benefits they receive.

Brian Allan

Keith Street

Kincardine-on-Forth