Man with broken leg told he was ‘fit to work’ after trying to claim benefits
An electrician was told quit his £40,000 a year job and find one which will let him work with a broken leg after the government declared him ‘fit to work’.
Martin Flowers, 60, was signed off sick by a doctor after he was left using crutches due to a work place accident.
Due to his injury, the skilled electrician has been living off £415 a month sick pay.
He put in a claim for Universal Credit to help pay his bills, but assessors from the Department of Work and pensions deemed him ‘fit to work’ and told him to quit his £40,000-a-year position.
They said he would only get financial help if he got another job he could do with his injury – despite his current employers saying they will welcome him back once fit.
And he claims the DWP also ‘effectively told him to lie’ after advising him not to tell any future employers why he left his current post.
The DWP has since apologised for the ‘error’ and any distress they may have caused Martin.
Martin, of Newport, Shropshire, suffered his injury after falling from some steps just three weeks after starting at Wulfrun Building Solutions in Wolverhampton.
He said: ‘Since I have had my accident, my employer has been as good as gold.
‘While I had only been there for three weeks, they have kept me on while I recover.
‘They even laid staff off earlier this year but still kept me on. They could have quite easily got rid of me but they haven’t, they have been absolutely excellent.
‘I’m keen to get back to work a soon as possible but obviously in the building trade there are health and safety rules and you can’t walk around a construction site on crutches.
‘The whole thing has left me feeling sick. My wife and I are worried. We stand to lose everything.’
Martin said the temporary fix would have helped them pay their bills, otherwise they risked losing their home.
But despite his planned return to work next month, he was shocked to be told by the DWP on Wednesday (12/6) he was deemed fit to work.
Martin, who is still using crutches, added: ‘I explained that I could not go back to my job with a broken leg but the man on the phone said I had to quit that job and find another that I could do.
‘He said even though I am on crutches, I could work in a office or somewhere else.
‘But I have got a decent job and would not earn half the amount I do in an office – I’ve no office skills.
‘It is ridiculous. We risked losing our home as we could not pay our bills. It’s like I’m banging my head of a brick wall.’
He added that the DWP also told him not to tell future employers why he left his post.
Martin added: ‘I said to them, should I tell employers why I left my job and they said I must not. Effectively telling me to lie.’
The Department of Work and Pensions has since apologised and blamed the independent agency who carried out Martin’s assessment.
A spokesperson said: ‘We apologise to Mr Flowers for the error and any distress caused.
‘Jobcentre staff have contacted Mr Flowers directly and the issue has been resolved.’
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