Boy with no arms and legs told he must prove he is disabled to keep his benefits

Last Updated: February 18, 2016By

Ordeal: Edward Bright, the quadruple amputee whose disability benefit claim was questioned by the Department for Work and Pensions [Image: David Marsden/Page One].

It may be surprising to learn that there is nothing surprising about this – the DWP once infamously asked an amputee when he expected his missing limb to grow back.

The family of Edward Bright are absolutely right that the DWP already had all the information it needed as Edward had been claiming DLA as a child and this was a simple transfer to PIP.

The DWP has now claimed the whole episode was a “mistake”. Does anybody really believe that?

Call me a pessimist if you want, but This Writer reckons there was probably some sinister “nudge” psychology going on – “He’s a quadruple amputee, he’s never likely to be off-benefits or have much quality of life (that may not be true, but it’s how their minds seem to work), so let’s see how he reacts if we threaten what little he has”.

Another attempt at chequebook euthanasia? You decide.

The parents of a teenage ­quadruple amputee have accused benefits bosses of being “heartless” for threatening to stop his money.

Edward Bright lost his arms and legs to meningitis, aged seven, and his family have since claimed £388-a-month Disability Living Allowance on his behalf.

After he turned 16 last month, the wheelchair-bound youngster had to claim again for the Personal Independence Payment, which has replaced DLA.

The family filled in a form saying he needed help with almost all aspects of his daily life, but were shocked to get a letter ordering him to attend a face-to-face meeting or risk losing his benefits.

Source: Boy with no arms and legs told he must prove he is disabled to keep his benefits – Mirror Online

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No Comments

  1. Di ane February 18, 2016 at 8:24 am - Reply

    It seems every single day there’s some DWP atrocity in the newspaper: the other day we read about how the DWP asks 7/7 survivor who lost both legs to prove he is entitled to disability benefits! http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/dwp-asks-77-survivor-who-7370105
    Today we hear about this poor lad, who I have no doubt would have had all his money taken away were it not for the fact they turned to the media to expose the DWP’s cruelty.
    Even the terminally ill are hounded http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/terminally-ill-man-totally-broken-7374183
    when will it end?

  2. Rupert Mitchell (@rupert_rrl) February 18, 2016 at 8:35 am - Reply

    IF it was a mistake it was GROSS INCOMPETANCE and those responsible should be removed from the unsavoury posts for which they are being paid by us the public.

  3. John February 18, 2016 at 8:56 am - Reply

    The problem with a ‘mistake’ like this is that, from what I can recall, they seem to be making quite a lot of them ? Now, we know that the IT systems are seemingly far from perfect, so that could have something to do with it (never mind the issue of claimants that seem to know more about how the system works than some of the staff do), but it could also be an administrative c*ckup? However, you’ve also got to take into account the bad/disgusting attitudes of some of the staff that work for the DWP. No Mike, I’m sorry to say that I’m inclined to agree with you here, that it is highly likely that there is something far more sinister going on here !

  4. Jarrow February 18, 2016 at 9:57 am - Reply

    Ah! But suppose the young man spontaneously regrew his four limbs like a lizard regrows its tail? Hence repeated WCA tests. We mustn’t risk letting anybody slip through the net and swing the lead now must we?

    • Mike Sivier February 19, 2016 at 12:38 pm - Reply

      Know you of any human reptiles (who are not members of the Conservative Party)?

  5. Dez February 18, 2016 at 11:01 am - Reply

    The automaton says “No”. What a shower of excrement these Nazi SS Cons are.

  6. Rhysaurus February 18, 2016 at 3:24 pm - Reply

    You are absolutely right that this is “nudge” tactics in action.

  7. sandra redden February 18, 2016 at 9:11 pm - Reply

    its so sad how the goverment treats disabled people. and disabled children and other people

  8. Malcolm MacINTYRE-READ February 19, 2016 at 12:17 pm - Reply

    Sadness doesn’t come near to the way these Cons will use any means to save a few pennies while having a laugh by demeaning the disabled.

    Especially as the DWP is led by, and the responsibility of the sickest ‘member’ of them all. A more correct version of ‘member’ is to insert a 4 letter alternative description, rhyming with ‘sick’.

    When will the rule of law apply to MPs in the same way that it does to pleb citizens?

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