My life is hell now they’ve taken away my scooter

Exclusive ‘I cannot walk from my living room to my kitchen because I get out of breath’

A disabled woman claims her “life is hell” after benefit assessors took away her mobility scooter.

Jane Roberts, 53, of Hudson Road, Canterbury, says she cannot leave her house without the electric vehicle, which she had used for two years.

She suffers from a breathing condition and osteoporosis, which weakens the bones and makes them more likely to break.

So serious is her ill-health, she says she cannot walk from her lounge to the kitchen without becoming breathless.

She said: “My life is hell as I can’t go out now without the scooter. People say you have got to have your independence but I do not know how I can be independent when I cannot get around.

“I cannot get on a bus because I am claustrophobic and I cannot walk from my living room to my kitchen because I get out of breath. The scooter was very important.”

The mobility vehicle was removed from Miss Roberts following a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment last month.

But she says she will appeal the decision by the Department for Work and Pensions, which she says has left her unable to live a normal life. She suffers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which makes it difficult to walk.

The condition restricts airflow to her lungs, with symptoms including coughing and breathlessness. She said: “I cannot move around and I get out of breath just by talking. I can’t understand why I was given a scooter but then had it taken away. I walk with a stick and my eyesight isn’t very good – I really need that mobility scooter as it gets me from A to B.”

A DWP spokesperson said: “Decisions for PIP are made following consideration of all the information provided by the claimant, including supporting evidence from their GP or medical specialist.

“Anyone that disagrees with a decision can appeal. Most people leaving the Motability Scheme are eligible for a one-off payment of up to £2,000 to help meet their needs.”

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Picture: Gary Browne FM4801204 Jane Roberts who says she is struggling now that her mobility scooter has been taken away