Rchard Brookes.
A man with no arms who uses a wheelchair and a Motability car funded by UK disability benefits to get out and about has been told he can walk with walking aids
Yes, Richard Brookes has been informed that he has been judged by government-employed assessors as being able to walk up to 50 metres with walking aids. And that means he will lose a key benefit element and, with it, entitlement to his car.
Don’t walking aids depend on hands and arms? Yes, of course.
But you said he hasn’t got either arm. That’s right.
So how can anyone assess him as being able to walk with walking aids? Good question, it sure beats me.
His wife Sarah took to Facebook saying: “Don’t normally share my private matters on Facebook, but when my armless and disabled, crippled in pain husband has been assessed as able to walk up to 50m with walking aids, (quite a feat considering he has no arms and no-one has advised how he may be able to use these so called aids!), and that he could lose the lifeline of his Motability car within two weeks, that is when you know the system is very cruel…..I am so angry and worried for Richard Brookes.
“DWP should be ashamed of themselves….and the irony is he used to work for them….yes my disabled husband worked all his life until last May, and now the government that should help him is ruining his life.”
I have almost no words to say.
Almost, but not none at all. This episode goes beyond being unfeeling and disgraceful. It is despicable, it is cruel and shows quite clearly that someone is not doing his or her job properly.
In this case, we don’t need to wait for the appeals process to be completed. This is a clear case for the new work and pensions secretary Damien Green or even new prime minister Theresa May to step in to help Mr Brookes.
It is time that the British government put its people first and get rid of such a cruel, terrifying and absolutely worthless assessment system.
50shadesofsun 
In the U S, people on Medicare can not get eye tests or glasses.
Some people just don’t get it.
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My older child was yold that they could pick up a box with either hand and walk, carrying it. They use a walking stick to walk. When thy pointed this out and said they would only be able to carry the box with both hands if they grew another hand to use their walking stick or shove the stick where the sun Don’t shine did the DWP back down. They got their benefit.
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Hi Poppy, I remember one question about could I carry a litre of liquid, sealed in a carton. I said that I could if I was sitting down. But if you can pick it up and move it, you must be able to do standing up, I was told. I quietly explained that MS affects the left side of my body. My left hand cannot grip anything, my left leg is weak, my left foot drags. I need a stick to move anywhere. With stick in my only good hand, how was I supposed to carry anything? Benefit obtained at the second attempt.
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The problem is these ‘bodies’ are manned by people who have no capacity for logic thought. They are also being set quotas to meet on their caseloads otherwise they will have “performance reviews”. Utterly dreadful system.
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*logical
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Appallng to be treated thus. Best wishes for getting suitable empowering funding
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