Catherine Hawkins, 50, was left with just £1.71 in her bank account after her Universal Credit was frozen when she was told to attend a workshop
A severely disabled mum, confined to her bed, has criticised the DWP after being informed she was fit enough to work – despite her inability to walk. Catherine Hawkins, 50, was left fearing homelessness when her benefits were halted, leaving her with a mere £1.71 in her bank account.
The single mum felt she was being “pushed” into employment – even though she can’t walk – after her Universal Credit was stopped. Catherine, who suffers from neuropathy in her feet and Crohn’s Disease, relies on carers for bathing, feeding, and basic needs, including moving her from her bed to her lounge.
However, she was shocked when the Department for Work and Pensions instructed Catherine to attend a workshop and officials started “putting pressure” on her to find employment. Catherine was worried about losing her home as she wouldn’t be able to afford her rent and began reaching out to food banks as she had “no food”.
The DWP requested her last three bank statements – which she claimed she had already downloaded and sent – but it stated they hadn’t been received. The DWP has since issued an apology.
Catherine, from Diglis, Worcester, expressed her fears: “I’m afraid I’m going to end up being made homeless. How can they expect me to work when I can’t even walk? If I even tried to stand up, I would fall straight down.
“I’ve had to ring a food bank today because I have no food. I feel like I’m going around in circles. I just feel depressed – sick and tired of being sick and tired.”
She gets just over £1,000 a month in Universal Credit, which goes towards the £722 rent for her ground-floor flat provided by Platform Housing Group, as well as other bills and living costs. She also receives £900 a month in Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
Mrs Hawkins was concerned about falling into rent arrears if the UC wasn’t deposited into her account by January 8 to cover her rent, which was due on January 10.
Catherine said: “I’ve said I can’t attend a workshop interview. I’m completely disabled. I can’t walk.
“They’ve said I should have had one on December 15. They were going to call me, but I never received the call.
“They threatened me again, saying I’ve got one on January 15. I could work from home, on the phone, but that’s about it. I can’t do anything where I have to walk around.”
This latest setback follows a delay earlier in December in repairing the door entry keypad to her home, which resulted in one of her carers having to enter through her bedroom window to care for her. It’s understood that Catherine hasn’t missed any Universal Credit payments and all review investigations and actions by the UCR team have concluded, with Catherine being informed of this.
The DWP has apologised for the distress caused to Catherine and has since reversed its decision.
A spokesperson for the DWP said: “We apologise for any distress caused to Ms Hawkins as a result of the review into her case. We have lifted the suspension on her account. We are committed to improving processes to ensure vulnerable customers get the support they need.”
