Grieving brother left "penniless" as benefits stopped when he was having surgery
A grieving man says he has been left "penniless" after he was unable to get to a JobCentre appointment because he was in hospital having emergency surgery.
Peter Wilson, who relies on Universal Credit , says he is worried how he will now pay his bills.
The 51-year-old has nurses coming into help him every day to help him with his feeding tube and he struggles to get out on his mobility scooter.
Peter's sister Susan died just weeks ago and he is says he has been "crying his eyes out" over the missing payments.
The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has admitted to the mistake and has said they will reimburse Peter his missing benefits.
Peter told Hull Live : "I'd work if I could to pay my way, but I'm so unwell at the moment after my surgery that it's impossible.
"I have a nurse coming in every morning to help me with my tube feed, I have to change my iliostomy bag every few days with difficulty, and I have to get my hairdresser in to wash my hair as I can't get my arm above my head.
"I also struggle with my mobility and need to ride a mobility scooter to get around, so I have to rely on benefits to pay rent, gas, electric, council tax, water, for my phone and for food, but yet again the DWP have let me down by deducting £140 from my Universal Credit and not paying me what I'm owed.
"I've tried to get in touch with them on the online journal to ask them for my money, but they haven't got back to me, and now I'm just so worried as I'm not able to pay my rent or bills, and I'm having to decide between whether to eat or keep warm.
"I'm so upset and angry about missing the payments that I deserve – I've been crying my eyes out and I just don't know what to do with myself."
Mr Wilson says the shortfall has also added to his mental health struggles and it is not something he feels he can cope with at the moment.
"I've booked in to see a grief counsellor as I just can't get over the loss of Susan – my life was caring for her for the last 27 years, and life without her just isn't the same," he added.
"I've never lived on my own before, and I just miss her so much and get so lonely.
"The evenings are the worst when I'm on my own and can't get out to see anyone like I can in the day, and I often break down in tears thinking of my sister.
"Losing out on my benefits and stressing about being penniless and unable to pay rent and the bills just isn't something I need at the moment, but I feel like I've got nowhere to turn.
"I've saved the Government thousands over the years in looking after my sister, and now look how they've repaid me."
A DWP spokeswoman said: “Following a review we have apologised to Mr Wilson and will be repaying the amount deducted in error.”
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