Benefits chiefs in dock again

BACK in November, the Tele had no qualms about using the word “heartless” to describe officials at the Department for Work and Pensions who hounded disabled Mark Lilburn and told him he was fit for employment (see page 3).

He later won an appeal against benefits bosses and was given assurances that, unless there was a change in the law, he would remain classed as “supported” and would not have to take part in work-related activity.

So imagine his shock when the DWP came looking for him again, telling him it had decided he has the potential to get a job and warning him his benefits could be affected if he did not take part in work-focused interviews with a personal adviser.

It’s understandable that his own lawyer described this latest move as “monstrous” and “merciless”.

However, benefits bosses have admitted they got it wrong and made a mistake.

And although that is the right outcome for all concerned, it is still a shocking state of affairs — given they have managed to put poor Mark through the ringer yet again.

This error will have caused him no end of worry about having to find a job when he cannot communicate verablly, struggles to walk and has suffered numerous other health issues.

A huge political storm about the way the benefits system is run has been going on for years now, with many claiming that those running it are too ruthless in their decisions — and are forcing too many unfit people to find work.

But it makes matters even worse when they’re making errors like this — causing unneccessary stress to the most vulnerable people in society.