The 59-year-old man suffered from a slew of conditions – including ME, fibromyalgia and diverticulitis – that meant he could only walk a few steps before falling over
A disabled man was found dead in his faeces and blood-covered flat just weeks after the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) reportedly cancelled his benefits. David (not his real name) didn’t have enough money to repair his broken mobility scooter and his sister Susan (not her real name) believes he may not have had enough mobile phone credit to call for help.
Susan called the emergency services after her brother failed to return her messages. The 59-year-old’s body was discovered in his flat that was covered in excrement and blood because he had run out of incontinence pads.
David suffered with ME, fibromyalgia and diverticulitis, which caused severe fatigue, “mental fog”, reoccurring flu and incontinence. Susan told Disability News Service the “wrongful removal” of her beloved brothers Personal Independence Payments (PIP) played a part in his death.
“He was already on the breadline, so I think it would have been devastating for him,” she said. Susan is also of the belief that the DWP “failed to make the necessary safeguarding checks” before removing his PIP.
It is understood David died on February 19 – after suffering 25 years of ill-health which became increasing worse in the last year. In a heartbreaking note written by hand in his final days, David described his continual incontinence and how he was losing a cup of blood a day because of the diverticulitis.
The DWP cancelled his PIP just weeks earlier on January 4 after he failed to fill out and return a lengthy form as part of a review of his claim, reports Disability News Service. Susan said, even if he was able to fill out the form, he would not have been able to post it because he could “barely make it to his gate without falling over”.
The DWP wrote to David to inform him his PIP would be reinstated on February 20. However, the notification of such only arrived two weeks after his death.
Susan warned that the death of her brother must act as a warning of the horrors to come if the Government goes ahead with their planned £4.5billion in welfare cuts. The qualifying criteria for the daily living element of PIP will be tightened under the proposals.
It is estimated almost 400,000 people will lose out on the benefit aimed at subsidising extra costs associated with long-term mental and physical conditions.
The DWP told Disability News Service: “Our sincere condolences are with Mr X’s family. We are currently looking into the details of the case.”
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