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Government To Pay Benefits To Six-Stone Man Declared 'Fit For Work'

Government To Pay Benefits To Six-Stone Man Declared 'Fit For Work'

The DWP has apologised and will pay Mr Smith everything he is owed

Tom Wood

Tom Wood

The UK government will pay a man who was denied benefits and declared fit to work despite him suffering from serious health problems.

Stephen Smith was found to be fit to look for jobs and was told he wouldn't be receiving some of his benefits after a fitness for work assessment by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).

The 64-year-old from Liverpool was hospitalised over the Christmas period and at one stage weighed just six stone as a result of his health problems.

Despite that, he had to leave the hospital - where he had been in fear for his life, at one stage - to fight a ruling from the DWP that meant that he would not receive his Employment Support Allowance (ESA).

Stephen's weight plummeted to around six stone.
Liverpool Echo

The department repeatedly denied him his ESA because they deemed him to be in a fit enough condition to be capable of finding a job.

However, a judge ruled at a tribunal that Stephen was not fit for work at all, and now the DWP has ruled that not only can he continue to receive ESA, he will receive back payments for the money that he was denied during this ordeal.

The DWP issued an updated statement on Stephen's case that reads: "We are sorry for the experience Mr Smith has had and we are committed to ensuring that people with health conditions get the support they're entitled to.

"Following the independent tribunal's ruling, he is now receiving full ESA support. While Mr Smith continued to receive benefits and support during his appeal, we can confirm he will shortly receive all back payments for ESA due."

Following the tribunal's ruling, Stephen will now receive full ESA support.
Liverpool Echo

Stephen has struggled with several health complications for a few years. Chief amongst those problems is his Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder, an incurable and debilitating condition that causes difficulty breathing.

This condition left Stephen unable to walk for any length of time normally, let alone look for a job.

Doctors wrote several letters attesting to his illness, but despite that, he was repeatedly denied his ESA.

He was told that he would have to survive on the £67 per week Jobseeker's Allowance and would be required to present himself at the job centre every week to prove that he was actively seeking employment.

This was despite him living alone and suffering from his debilitating health conditions.

Stephen suffers from debilitating health conditions, including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder.
Liverpool Echo

Stephen told the Liverpool Echo: "I could only make it to the kitchen to make food once a day.

"I had no muscles in the back of my leg which meant I couldn't stand up at all - and had to lean or sit down all the time - but they were telling me I was fit for work."

Eventually he was offered help by two men, Tony Nelson and Terry Craven. Stephen credits them with the fact that he didn't die during this difficult period.

Tony runs the CASA community centre in Liverpool, which offers a range of support and help to people in need, and was able to provide Stephen with advice on benefit claims.

Terry said: "It is an outrage for a senior citizen of one of the richest countries in the world to have been treated like this by a Government department.

"Steve should not have been deprived of his just entitlement for a week, let alone two years. He has worked all his life and ran several businesses successfully.

"This Government's policies and its denial of poverty are challenged by Steve's circumstances. No justification could possibly exonerate this Government's responsibility for Steve's plight. I am just glad this is not a death story."

Luckily, Stephen won the case and Terry thinks that he could be owed up to £4,000 in back pay.

Referencing Tony, Terry and the CASA community centre, Stephen added: Without them and this place I probably wouldn't be here today - I had nowhere to turn - they have saved my life."

A further DWP statement said: "He has now been reassessed, reflecting his changing condition and will be receiving full ESA support.

"We're committed to ensuring that people with health conditions get the support they're entitled to.

"Decisions for ESA are made following consideration of all the information provided by the claimant, including supporting evidence from their GP or medical specialist. Any claimant can appeal a decision for free to an independent tribunal."

Featured Image Credit: Liverpool Echo

Topics: uk news, News, politics