Terminally ill NI mum hits out at ‘brutal system’ after her benefit claim is rejected

A CO Fermanagh woman terminally ill with motor neurone disease who needs her three young children to feed, dress and wash her says she cannot understand why she’s been turned down for disability benefit.

Single mum Lorraine Cox (39) doesn’t know how long she has left to live, but she wants to spend as much time as possible with her children, aged 15, 10 and nine.

While she still manages to hold down her job, her condition is deteriorating so fast she believes this won’t be possible after February.

Earlier this year she applied for Personal Independent Payment (PIP), but was shocked when she was informed that after being assessed she didn’t fit the criteria and would get nothing.

Under the criteria, only terminally ill people with less than six months to live do not need to undergo assessment.

Ms Cox, from Derrylin, challenged this decision and was later awarded a basic payment, but was refused the enhanced and mobility payments.

She said the energy she is expending fighting the Department for Communities decision should be spent making the most of the time she has left with her children.

She said: “I have three young children that I adore but my children dress me, my children cut up my food, they lace my shoes, they put on my necklaces and earrings and even help me out of the bath.

“This has become very normal in my house as my motor neurone has progressed and it has deteriorated rapidly over the last six months.

“On top of dealing with all of this and organising my funeral arrangements, my last testament and organising my pension to be drawn down for my children, I should not have to be fighting for a basic disability benefit.

“It was a shock when I got the letter to say I didn’t meet the criteria for the enhanced payment and I didn’t fit the criteria for the mobility.

“It is horrifying. I have the mobility to fight so I can get PIP, but I don’t know if I will still be physically able to do this in six months’ time.

“I actually cannot believe how brutal the system is and I cannot understand what they (the Department for Communities) are holding back on.

“There is nothing hidden in this, my symptoms are very transparent, they are visibly clear and my diagnosis letter is clear.

“I don’t want to be claiming disability but I am going to have to resign from my job in a couple of months’ time because I have to Lorraine Cox suffers from crippling motor neurone disease

prioritise my time with my children.

“I am going to leave my work around February while I am relatively able and have maybe two months or three months to go out with my kids and not have to be pushed in a wheelchair.

“I want to be a mother to my kids for as long as I can, that’s the most frustrating thing.

“I actually think because I want to work for as long as I can is going against me; I am not on benefits but I am honestly trying to do the best I can for my family and plan for whatever future I can.

“I had to appeal the initial decision, which got me the basic payment, but I am also appealing this latest decision to refuse me the enhanced and mobility payments.

“It is exhausting and it is not where my energy should be spent.

“All my energy should be spent on making the most of my time with my three children. However, I will keep on fighting this with everything I can.”

Among those supporting Ms Cox is Antrim and Newtownabbey UUP councillor Robert Foster.

He said: “The way PIP is being assessed is causing extreme and unnecessary anxiety for so many people, including people like Lorraine who has MND, others who have other degenerative conditions like Parkinson’s, and also people diagnosed with cancer.”

The Department for Communities said it was unable to comment on individual cases.

“PIP entitlement depends on how a disability or long-term condition affects a person’s ability to carry out a range of everyday activities,” it said.

“It does not depend on any specific medical diagnosis.

“Each case is considered on an individual basis.”