‘The DWP has taken my son’s Motability car off him too - and it has devastated our family’: MP 'horrified' by latest disability decision
The family of a 25-year-old man who lost a leg in a motorbike crash say he has been “destroyed” after the Department and Work and Pensions (DWP) threw out his PIP appeal and are taking his Motability car off him.
The case of the Market Drayton man was raised in the House of Commons earlier this year by North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan.
Ms Morgan told Sir Stephen Timms, Minister for Social Security and Disability, in in October how her constituent was initially awarded the payments, which he used to lease an adapted car after his leg was amputated above the knee following a crash.
But the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) refused his application for continued support, which meant he was not entitled to his Motability car.
Ms Morgan told the minister she was “baffled by the decision to withdraw support from someone who has lost their leg but remains determined to work”.
"How can we be in a situation where people whose condition is permanent are having their support withdrawn?” she asked
Sir Stephen Timms, Minister for Social Security and Disability, told the MP that there was an appeal process and urged “her constituent” to submit an appeal.
However, the family of the man concerned, who have asked for him not to be named, say the DWP said this week that the appeal has been lost.
The father of the 25-year-old told the Shropshire Star: “They are coming to take his car from him on Friday.
“The decision devastated our family. When he heard he might lose his PIP he began working extra hard to make up for the money but he has now done his leg in by overdoing it.
“The DWP is destroying this lad. He is now stuck in the house. Without the car he can’t go anywhere.
“He was working but he is now going to end up on Universal Credit as he has got worse.”
The case follows that of Shaun Rigby from Telford, who the Shropshire Star revealed this week had also lost his appeal after the DWP filmed the one-legged father playing cricket.
Helen Morgan MP said she was “horrified” by the latest DWP decision.
She said: “I’m horrified that an amputee who has been able to live and work independently for so long, thanks to the use of his specially-adapted car, will have the rug pulled from under him simply due to a case of ‘computer says no’.
“He has rebuilt his life thanks to this support, but is clearly not going to get any better. So how can we be in a situation where people whose condition is permanent are having their support withdrawn?
“I hope that common sense prevails and that we can resolve what has become a stressful situation, so that my constituent continues to get the help he needs to live independently.”
She added that she has written to ministers on behalf of her constituent.
The DWP has been approached for comment.
