A woman who suffered a life-threatening injury after falling from a building has criticized the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for leaving her in a state of uncertainty. The 45-year-old mother of two applied for Universal Credit following her accident and has been waiting for a work capability assessment since early February.
Medical Emergency and Application
Speaking to LeedsLive, Lorna Maynard described how she experienced a carotid artery dissection, a tear in a major artery in her neck, which is the leading cause of stroke in people under 45. She had to leave her job at McDonald's and submitted a WCA50 form in early February. Since then, she claims she has been left in limbo.
“I was just watching TV, and everything went purple,” she said. “It was like I was watching something in 3D. It’s never happened before. I felt disorientated. A few days later, I went to the opticians to see if it was something to do with my eyes.”
She added: “They said I needed glasses – but then my left eye started drooping. You would think it was like a stroke. I went into hospital. They did a head scan, and they found my artery had popped. They said something like that would usually happen with whiplash or falling off a building, or something.”
Frustration with Delays
Discussing the delay in her Universal Credit claim, Lorna expressed her anger and frustration. “I’m angry, annoyed, upset. I’ve never asked for anything like this in my life. Then I see people I know of getting everything. It just seems unfair. Very unfair.”
DWP Response
A DWP spokesperson issued a statement this week, saying: “We apologise for the delays to Ms Maynard’s case and are working to progress it as quickly as possible. We know waiting for an assessment can be stressful, and we would encourage anyone in a similar situation to speak to their work coach, who can help explain the process and identify any additional support available.”
