Disabled Kidderminster woman has benefits cut despite worsening condition | JSUK

Last Updated: August 7, 2015By

A DISTRAUGHT disabled Kidderminster woman has had her benefits slashed despite developing another illness that has affected her further.

Hayley Wigley, from Blakedown, had been in receipt of the enhanced rate Personal Independence Payment (PIP) which gave her £411.40 per month due to her suffering a string of conditions including bipolar disorder, chronic back pain and asthma.

And earlier this year, the 44-year-old discovered she had contracted fibromyalgia disease, which causes pain throughout her body, memory loss and sleeping problems, and informed the Department of Work of Pensions of this.

But she was left astonished when she received a letter last month informing her that her PIP allowance would be reduced to the standard rate of just £55.10 per week.

Source: Disabled Kidderminster woman has benefits cut despite worsening condition |

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18 Comments

  1. Joanna August 7, 2015 at 1:23 am - Reply

    If she was already getting the, top amount, why did she even tell the DWP about the fibromyalgia? What more was she expecting to claim, if anything? Everyone knows that with DWP that condition isn’t recognised or accepted. I have it but I will never disclose it to the DWP for fear of losing what I get, I don’t get anything like DLA or pip, what I do get is not much after deductions, which is £90 per week

    (my deductions are not going to stop for a very long time yet)

    I should be getting £124ish per week.

    I am sorry if I sound unsympathetic but I just don’t see the logic

    • Mike Sivier August 7, 2015 at 11:06 am - Reply

      It’s a condition of everybody’s claim that they notify the authorities about any changes at all – even if they don’t affect the amount of benefit received.

      • Mick August 8, 2015 at 10:45 am - Reply

        If you stick your head above the firing line expect to get shot, my experience tells me to keep your head down, your mouth shut and NEVER rock the boat! I learnt the hard way!

        • Mike Sivier August 8, 2015 at 3:51 pm - Reply

          If you don’t notify them of any changes and they find out anyway (from other government departments, for example), then you’ll lose your benefit anyway.

      • Joanna August 10, 2015 at 12:36 pm - Reply

        Mike what has happened to doctor patient confidentiality? If we have that right, then the DWP should know nothing except what you tell them. Doctors should be more respected by the government and the DWP should Never be able to override that most basic of human rights!!!

  2. Samuel Miller (@Hephaestus7) August 7, 2015 at 2:28 am - Reply

    At minimum, 400,000 claimants will not qualify for PIP. Moreover, claimants who can walk more than 20 metres (65ft) will no longer be entitled to the £57.45 enhanced weekly mobility allowance and could be offered the standard rate of just £21.80. If they depend on PIP for paying bills and basics, how will they survive on such a meager benefit?

    A critical unknown is emerging in the welfare reform and work bill: whether sick and disabled people can survive in the WRAG, in 2017, on Jobseeker’s rates. I recently submitted a FOI to the DWP, requesting the number and percentage of ESA (WRAG) claimants who have been assessed but failed to qualify for PIP benefits.

    I have just announced that I intend to investigate whether it is possible to launch an American style class-action lawsuit against the DWP for human rights violations. The DWP might be liable if the UN determines that the government is guilty of “grave or systemic violations” of disabled people’s human rights.

    I’m not a human rights solicitor, but I have consulted with law firm Leigh Day in the past regarding benefit sanctions and the disabled:

    “As indicated previously, we do think the practice of benefits sanctioning may be an issue about which the UNCRPD will be interested.

    However, in order for any potential case to be successful, we will have to show that the individual has exhausted their domestic remedies. At the very least the individual would have to have sought to challenge /appeal any sanctioning decision by routes that are available to them. If they didn’t do this then they are unlikely to be a viable candidate for an application to the UNCRPD.”

    The budget cuts to ESA WRAG claimants (£30 per week) could be the basis for a class-action lawsuit. Disabled people are terrified of being placed in the WRAG and will likely adopt a ‘support group or bust’ attitude, virtually guaranteeing that the DWP’s efforts to incentivize them into work will ultimately fail.

    • Mike Sivier August 7, 2015 at 11:08 am - Reply

      I would prefer any lawsuit to be directed at specific individuals, rather than the whole department. I think it would have a greater chance of success.

    • Joanna August 10, 2015 at 12:48 pm - Reply

      To be fair Samuel, shouldn’t the main body of the ESA payment be used for basic needs and bills? PIP is for extra expenses caused by the disability, as far as I understand. Aside from this, no one on ESA should ever be subject to any sanctions Ever!!!

  3. paulrutherford8 August 7, 2015 at 3:17 am - Reply

    Just a thought Mike… under your posts, where it says “If you have enjoyed this article…”, I wonder if it would read better as “appreciated this article”????

    It’s just that I feel that I ‘appreciate’ but don’t always ‘enjoy’ what I read, and maybe others feel the same? It may just be me, and there’s no need to ‘moderate’ this. I just wanted to say something I’ve felt for a while.

    Cheers.

    • Mike Sivier August 7, 2015 at 11:09 am - Reply

      That’s a fair comment. I’ll see what I can do.

  4. marcusdemowbray August 7, 2015 at 6:51 am - Reply

    The government keeps telling us the system has been improved.

  5. Rupert Mitchell (@rupert_rrl) August 7, 2015 at 6:56 am - Reply

    Such decisions should only be made by GPs and not by sub-humans with only vested interests in self gratification.

  6. alistair lazenby August 7, 2015 at 7:51 am - Reply

    disgusting scum bags, the torys, wish someone would make them pay. what is the UN doing about it, i heard they were looking into what the torys were doing. blood on their hands same as tory vote’s.

    • Mike Sivier August 7, 2015 at 11:10 am - Reply

      See Samuel Miller’s comment in this very column!

  7. amnesiaclinic August 7, 2015 at 8:17 am - Reply

    Thanks for highlighting this, Mike.
    Time for a guaranteed basic income with automatic enhancement when your doctor gives a diagnosis.
    I hope she is able to get to see her MP.
    Shocking.

  8. paola August 7, 2015 at 3:07 pm - Reply

    I suffer from borderline personality disorder, anxiety, depression, ptsd and eating disorder. In the not that far past I attempted to end my life on numerous occasions, and have been in mental hospital twice in my life. In September 2013 I was awarded £320 every 4 weeks for my pip and decision was valid untill march next year. Recently I was invited for Atos assessment, and 3 weeks after I found out That I scored 0 points, even though my circumstances did not change at all, and I’m starting trauma focused work which will cause my symptoms to get worst before I will be able to get better. Recently my cpn rang DWP and asked how they made their decision, and they said that they received report from my assessment after decision was made. So they decided either I was eligible based on NOTHING. With no information about my state whatsoever. Disgraceful. It just left me wondering to how many other disabled people they have done this…

  9. Terry Fishlock August 7, 2015 at 5:59 pm - Reply

    This is what I fear I only got awarded enhanced pip last year until next April but they have called me in again already for another atos medical my disease has worsened as it cannot be controlled I have feeling that it will be completely stopped or reduced

  10. mrmarcpc August 11, 2015 at 5:15 pm - Reply

    Proof again here that if you are genuine, they still don’t care and will still kick you about!

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