- Family say palliative nurse sent DWP note saying Denise is terminal
- Claim they appealed decision six weeks ago but have heard nothing
- Government is reviewing system for terminally ill benefits claimants
- A GoFundMe appeal has been set up to help the mother-of-five
Denise Bates thought she’d pulled through her battle with ovarian cancerfour years ago.
But at Christmas time last year the 50-year-old became ill and was given the devastating news the disease was back.
The mother-of-five and grandmother-of-seven fell into a depression and took an attempted overdose on Boxing Day in anticipation of her scan results. Weeks later doctors told her there was nothing they could do.
Since then, Denise and her family have been trying to hold it together and make the best of the time she has left. She has told her consultant she doesn’t want to know how long that will likely be.
But 10 weeks ago she was dealt another blow. After a face-to-face assessment the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) ruled that her disability benefit be stripped – leaving her struggling to pay her bills and next to nothing for food.
Source: Grandmother, 50, with terminal cancer left with £6 a week after benefits cut : i News
‘The DWP told i that it has no record of Denise ever having a work capability assessment so she has not been found ‘fit for work’ and she would not have been told to apply for Universal Credit.
But Terri insists the letter to her mother was worded this way.
A DWP spokesperson said: “We are urgently looking again at Ms Bates’ PIP claim. Our priority is that people with health conditions get the support they are entitled to, and that people nearing the end of their life get benefits quickly and easily.’
Just what is occurring at the DWP?
Do they know what they are doing?
These are very worrying times, but with the DWP appearing to be in a state of disarray, that means worrying is even more so.
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