Girl who had leg amputated told she’s not ‘disabled enough’ for Motability car
It seems the DWP is getting devious with its ploys to take away people’s benefits – or at least the extras derived from them.
In this story, Olivia gets to keep PIP – but must lose her Motability car. The DWP then cleverly offered to let her keep the vehicle until next April in an agreement that officials knew they could change at any time – so they did.
Now she has until tomorrow (Friday, November 6) to raise the £4,900 needed to buy the car. That’s a huge task for a teenager at sixth form, as the DWP’s staff know perfectly well.
They’re just turning the screws, basically.
But they won’t get their way if people of good conscience help out. Olivia’s friends have set up a crowdfunding website called Keep Olivia’s Wheels – feel free to visit and donate, while there’s still time.
If you need an extra reason to donate, take a look at the spokesperson’s slimy answer, when questioned about the DWP’s behaviour: She could have appealed “but chose not to” – because she had been led to believe she would have the car until April!
The information on how PIP is awarded is worth noting, too – it isn’t based on the condition but on how it affects the claimant. This is a purely subjective criterion – medical evidence may be freely ignored this way – meaning DWP staff could probably remove PIP from somebody with no limbs at all, if they had a smile on their face.
Some of them undoubtedly would.
A teenager who lost a leg to cancer has been told she is not “disabled enough” for a Motability car.
Sixth form student Olivia Cork, 19, had her right leg amputated above the knee almost five years ago.
For the past two years she has had the use of a specially adapted Ford Fiesta thanks to the Motability scheme.
It is vital for getting her to and from school, where she is studying three A levels. And Olivia, who has taken up swimming and dreams of becoming a paralympian, also drives to her local pool for classes seven times a week, including three early morning starts.
But after a DWP re-assessment it has been decided Olivia is fit enough to manage without the vehicle.
Olivia said: “With the change to PIP, the criteria to be disabled enough to get the car had changed, so I had to re apply and then I was not fitting the criteria. I was not disabled enough.”
She added: “If you can walk a certain distance, a few house lengths, then you are not deemed disabled enough. It does not matter if you use crutches or prosthetic legs or whatever.”
Olivia asked the DWP to reconsider, which they refused. She says she was then told she could keep the car until next April and as a result she did not formally appeal the decision, as she weighed up her options.
But last month a bombshell letter arrived saying she would lose the car on November 9, unless he could raise £4,900 by this Friday to buy the Fiesta outright from the Motability scheme.
Now friends have rallied round to help and a crowd funding page has been set up called “Keep Olivia’s Wheels”.
Her swimming club Alsager Bridgstone, is also organising a fund raising evening.
A DWP spokesperson said: “Ms Cork was given the opportunity to appeal the decision regarding her claim for PIP but chose not to.”
The DWP said PIP is awarded on the basis of how a claimant’s condition affects them rather than on the condition itself.
Decisions are made following a face-to-face assessment and consideration of all the medical evidence provided by the claimant.
Source: Girl who had leg amputated told she’s not ‘disabled enough’ for Motability car – Mirror Online
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Mike that is simply Criminal disgraceful ,in fact neo Nazi !
Yesterday, in the Court of Appeal, the DWP apparently stated they have heard of NO applicantions for DHP’s [Discretionary Housing Payments], that had been refused.
As with this case, they twist the truth, lie and cheat,
How these people live with themselves is completely beyond my understanding now.
The court of appeal and the government have blinkers on that only see and do what that want ,and sod the disbanded. My brother is paralisd from the east down and permintly in a wheelchair he got his dla/notability stopped absolute disgrace
Lying b*****ds.
But I suppose they are only following orders.
She should sue the decision maker and IDS “jointly and severally” (which means either or both are responsible for the sum) personally for the mental stress caused.
Shall we say, about the sum on which the interest would provide ongoing funds for a NEW car, suitably modified each time it needs replacement, along with the reasonable running costs of same, would be a reasonable starting point for the settlement?
Could Orwell or Kafka have thought this one up?
Pledged. Hopefully enough can be raised so she can keep the car, God knows there are enough barriers to education put in place by the Government for most non-wealthy students!
£7,135 has been raised already!
Distance to walk is not ‘a few houselengths’, it is only 20 metres. That’s right. Basically, if you can walk TO your car, you clearly don’t need you car, according to the arbitrary rules the DWP made up when they brought in PIP.
I sometimes had to park further from my house than I can walk but was refused a disabled bay near my house because I live too far from the road. duh! Thanks ms garlic of Lewisham council. I’m glad I live too far to smell your breath
How much MORE disgusting can this bunch of spiteful hypocrites get? Time to get real, people.
I’m happy to say I couldn’t pledge a lot but just took Olivia past her target, she gets to keep her wheels :)
This is excellent news and I’m delighted it was a Vox Political reader who did it!
The disabled suffer severe cruelty at the hands of this government, whilst they look after the rich and heartless. Who cares in our society these days, unless they become effected. Many now complaining about the unjust tax credit cuts, never cared or spoke out whilst they were untouched.
I know a young lady who was born with spina bifida, never walked in her life being dependant on a motarized wheelchair to get around, she was asked when she expected to recover. Looks like the machines have taken over already.