A WOMAN who survived a brain haemorrhage, two strokes, paralysis and being hit by a car has been stripped of disability benefits.

Darlington woman Christine Kokes worked until 1997, when she suffered a haemorrhage that would mark the beginning of a life marred by substantial disabilities that left her dependent upon the welfare system.

She is now begging the Government’s Department of Work and Pensions to make a u-turn in her case after an assessor decided she was not disabled enough to qualify for Personal Independence Payments (PIP).

Due to mobility problems and an inability to carry out day-to-day tasks, Ms Kokes had been receiving Disability Living Allowance until June this year, when she received a letter telling her the benefit was ending and she would have to apply for PIP.

A distressing assessment followed, wherein Ms Kokes struggled to understand and comprehend the scope of the questions being asked.

She was asked, for example, if she could wash and answered yes but did not realise the assessor would have awarded more points had she explained that she struggles with the task and is left exhausted as a result.

Likewise, Ms Kokes believes she was penalised because she was seen to walk from the car park of the venue to the assessment, even though she was left in pain and breathless as a result of doing so.

Soon afterwards, she received a letter telling her she had not scored enough to qualify for PIP under the DWP’s points system and would not be granted any payments.

Her income subsequently dropped by hundreds of pounds a month and she was no longer eligible for schemes including car tax exemption and Motability.

An appeal failed despite the submission of compelling medical evidence and the support of Ms Kokes’ GP, who said she had “substantial disabilities”.

She is now taking the matter to a tribunal, where she hopes to impress upon the DWP the scope of her disabilities and the impact of their decision, which has left her isolated, depressed and struggling financially.

Ms Kokes, who friends say has gone from “the life and soul of a party to a depressive”, said: “They have taken away my independence.

“The assessment was horrible and the questions misleading, I didn’t understand most of them, she didn’t ask me anything in-depth and wouldn’t help.

“I live on my own and can’t manage at all without my family and friends helping, I am genuinely disabled and have now lost all my confidence and the loss of income has been terrible.

“I want the DWP to start treating disabled people with respect, I worked all my life and am not a scrounger.”

A spokesman for the DWP said decisions on PIP were made following consideration of all information provided by the claimant and that anyone who disagrees has the right to appeal.

He said the DWP was committed to ensuring those with health conditions “get the support they’re entitled to.”

However, Dawn Gill from Citizens Advice Darlington, which is helping Ms Kokes, said they hear of cases like hers regularly.

Ms Gill said many disabled people were flummoxed by a difficult to comprehend points-based system and often fell foul of it by not answering assessors in enough detail.

Urging people to record their assessments, she said a rising number of disabled people were failing them despite medical evidence and support from organisations like Citizens Advice.

Ms Gill added: “Assessors seem to be ignoring people in favour of asking formulaic questions.

“People are in genuine need and we have cases coming through our door where people with significant disabilities are receiving zero points.

“You only have to look at some to know they’re disabled and they’re having benefits taken away.

“The money stops straight away and that has a huge impact on their life – payments should carry on until a final decision is reached.”

 

SUPPORT NETWORK: Christine Kokes with good friend Peter Power

PETER Power penned a passionate letter to the DWP recently.

He is a close friend of Christine Kokes, who was stripped of her disability benefit, despite compelling medical evidence.

Mr Power has watched his friend deteriorate both mentally and physically after being deemed not disabled enough to qualify for the Personal Independence Payment benefit.

In his strongly worded letter, he calls on the Government to rethink its approach to disabled and vulnerable people.

It said: I have known Christine for 15 years, she is courageous, stoical and always does her best to get by uncomplainingly.

DWP has taken away her disability allowances, leaving her with just £127 a week for all expenses.

We were led to believe that the new system was fair, a system that should continue to support the poor, elderly and disabled – what a travesty, what a disgrace.

I just wish that those people in DWP could witness the damage they have caused to Christine’s life. They have destroyed her pride, taken away her independence and she has become morose, very depressed and cannot see a positive future. I have never seen her so unhappy. Christine is genuinely disabled and deserves all the help our society can give her.

I feel disgusted and very bitter at the way, society, the DWP in particular, has treated her – she is now part of the Government’s ‘savings’ policy.

For God’s sake, someone wake up and help her. Restore her lost independence, restore her to the happiness that she deserves. We want our happy-go-lucky Christine back.

Yours, disgusted,

Peter Power

 

MP SUPPORT: Darlington's MP Jenny Chapman has called for changes

DARLINGTON’S MP said disabled people were being failed by the system as she called on the Government to take a fresh approach in light of Christine Kokes’ case.

Jenny Chapman said Ms Kokes’ “terrible experience” was all becoming too familiar as those with disabilities struggled to navigate the benefit process.

She said: “I have seen many people with significant disabilities who were previously receiving Disability Allowance who are now being denied the new Personal Independence Payment, apparently for no good reason.

“Earlier this year, the House of Commons’ Work & Pensions Select Committee found that a sizeable number of claimants are being failed by the process.

“The Government is failing sick and disabled people, who have suffered severe benefits cuts. We urgently need a fresh approach.”