AN injured electrician is fuming after he was told to quit his £40,000 a year job to get benefits.
Martin Flowers, 60, is on crutches after breaking his leg in an accident at work in January.
The Shropshire man is unable to work and has been signed off sick by a doctor.
Martin has been living off £415 a month statutory sick pay and put in a temporary claim for Universal Credit to help pay his bills.
But the Department for Work and Pensions told Martin he was “fit to work” with the broken leg.
The DWP also told Martin he needed to find a job which doesn’t involve walking to get benefits.
Martin said: “They called and said I had been declared fit to work, despite me having a sick note signed by a consultant.
“I explained I could not go back to my job with a broken leg but the man on the phone said I had to quit and find another job I could do.
“He said even though I am on crutches, I could work in a office or somewhere else.
“But I have got a decent job and would not earn half the amount I do in an office – I’ve no office skills.”
Martin added: “It is ridiculous. We risked losing our home as we could not pay our bills.
“It’s someone asking question off a sheet, not going into the ins and outs of the person’s situation.
“It means some people who are terminally ill will pass a tick box and told if they don’t work there will be sanctions.
“That’s the attitude I’ve had. It’s like I’m banging my head off a brick wall.”
Martin claimed the DWP “effectively told him to lie” by instructing him not to tell future employers why he left his post.
He said: “I asked them whether I should tell employers why I left my job. They said I must not – effectively telling me to lie.”
Martin pointed out his current employers are happy to keep him on after he recovers.
He said: “Since I have had my accident, my employer has been as good as gold.
“While I had only been there for three weeks, they have kept me on while I recover.”
It is ridiculous – like I’m banging my head off a brick wall
Martin Flowers
Martin added: “They even laid staff off earlier this year but still kept me on.
“They could have quite easily got rid of me but they haven’t, they have been absolutely excellent.
“I’m keen to get back to work a soon as possible but obviously in the building trade there are health and safety rules.
“You can’t walk around a construction site on crutches so I need to be declared fit.
“My consultant said I should be able to start back from around mid-July.
“The whole thing has left me feeling sick. My wife and I are worried. We stand to lose everything.”
The DWP has now apologised, blaming the agency which assessed Martin.
A spokesperson said: “We apologise to Mr Flowers for the error and any distress caused.
“Jobcentre staff have contacted Mr Flowers directly and the issue has been resolved.”
YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to
Charity Turn2Us’ benefits calculator works out what you could get.
Entitledto’s free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto’s data.
You can use Policy in Practice’s calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you’ll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
