Tag Archives: disability
Woman denied sickness benefit despite life-threatening condition
Last updated at 14:02, Friday, 07 February 2014
A Workington woman with a life-threatening heart condition is being denied sickness benefits because of Government assessment changes.
The case of Jeanette Johnston, 29, has been taken up by Workington MP Sir Tony Cunningham.
He has pledged to write to the Government to get her benefits reinstated.
Miss Johnston will ultimately need a heart and lung transplant and has already had a kidney removed.
Despite her health problems, she has received no disability benefits since August of last year.
Struggling families caring for disabled relatives face £1bn cuts
The Government was accused on Sunday night of dealing callously with some of Britain’s most vulnerable families, as cuts to full-time carers’ benefits mean many are forced into debt and to rely on food banks.
The cumulative effect of a slew of welfare changes has been devastating for those who give up their lives to care for loved ones, experts say. The benefit changes contributing to carers being £1bn out of pocket by 2018 include: the ‘bedroom tax’, the benefit cap and fewer people being eligible for Carer’s Allowance.