Ministers face shouts of ‘how do you sleep’ after benefit cut for terminally-ill man
Ministers faced shouts of “how do you sleep at night” after MPs heard a terminally-ill man is to have his mobility car repossessed.
Labour’s Clive Efford raised the case of an Eltham constituent who failed in his appeal against cuts to his personal independent payment (PIP) welfare benefit despite receiving treatment.
Mr Efford (pictured) said the man has been left “short of money”, unable to attend most of his daily appointments and at risk of infection when travelling on public transport due to the removal of his PIP.
Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Efford said: “In July 2016 my constituent was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer. It was treated with two lines of chemotherapy and initially he responded well but had recurrent infections which required antibiotics.
“He went into remission in 2018 and his PIP was stopped in December 2018.
“He appealed the decision – despite the fact that he was receiving treatment, his appeal was refused.
“In February he was told his cancer had relapsed. It’s incurable.
“He’s now being told his mobility car will be repossessed this week.
“Removing his PIP will leave him short of money, unable to get to most of his daily appointments and at risk of infection when travelling on public transport.
“Can I appeal to everybody on those benches over there – show some compassion, someone intervene and stop this injustice.”
Paula Sherriff, Labour MP for Dewsbury, could be heard shouting: “How do you sleep at night?”
Cabinet Office minister David Lidington said he would ask Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd to ensure a minister speaks to Mr Efford “urgently to get to the bottom of what has happened”.
Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd. 2019, All Rights Reserved. Picture (c) Adam Davy / PA Wire.
