Mum’s £ 100,000 benefits for an ‘ allergy to shoes’
Tracy Kenny says she is unable to work A JOBLESS mother- of- four has been ruled fit for work after receiving an estimated £ 100,000 in state handouts because of a shoe allergy.
Tracy Kenny, 45, who claimed dermatitis caused by her footwear left her unable to find employment, went on the dole 24 years ago.
But now the Department for Work and Pensions has ruled she is not entitled to her £ 440- a- month employment support allowance and told her to get a job.
However, she can continue to receive a monthly disability living benefit of £ 200.
Incredibly, the former baker condemned the decision yesterday insisting it was “impossible” to go out to work because of her allergy to rubber, glue, nickel and metal in shoes which leave her skin blistered and sore.
Mrs Kenny, of Eccles, Greater Manchester – who unsuccessfully appealed against the DWP ruling – said: “I don’t know how these people expect me to go to work or to job interviews in my bare feet because that’s what I’d have to do.
“It’s unbelievable. I can only wear shoes for 10 or 15 minutes before my feet blister and split. The allergy gets really bad and stops me from doing everything.”
Mrs Kenny quit working in 1989 after contracting dermatitis, a type of eczema that causes red, itchy, scaly skin, on her hands.
She said the condition later spread to her feet, causing her to spend the day shoeless and needing a mobility scooter to get around. She must also wear special gloves to protect her from metal items such as knives and forks.
Mrs Kenny, who lives with scaffolder husband Steve, 49, and also has diabetes and thyroid problems, added: “This all started when I was 18 or 19. I was working as a baker when suddenly my hands started blistering and it spread to my feet.
“Since then I haven’t worked, basically because things just got worse and worse. There are loads of things I’m allergic to. I’m told not to touch keys or coins – and not to use knives and forks.
“It’s a nightmare. I can’t even wash my own hair. I’ve got to get my husband or kids to do it because I’m allergic to the shampoo. I’m allergic to any chemicals in shoes. Doctors even organised for a pair of clogs to be made in Switzerland but they’re not suitable either.”
The DWP withdrew unemployment benefits last year after tests. Mrs Kenny claimed: “I am being punished for being disabled.”
A DWP spokesman said: “We are committed to helping people move from benefits and into work if they are capable.
“A decision on whether someone is well enough to work is taken following a thorough assessment and after consideration of all the medical evidence provided.”