Coronation Street Actor Condemns DWP Over Veteran's Universal Credit Repayment Demand
ITV Coronation Street star Antony Cotton has launched a scathing attack on the Department for Work and Pensions after a veteran friend was ordered to repay over £14,000 in Universal Credit. The demand stems from the DWP classifying the ex-serviceman's Armed Forces injury compensation as 'savings', a move Cotton described as 'deeply offensive' and 'appalling'.
Veteran's Compensation Treated as Savings
Cotton, best known for his role as Sean Tully in the long-running soap opera, revealed that James Tattingham, who served with the Parachute Regiment in Afghanistan, lost his Universal Credit entitlement after officials counted his war injury compensation as savings. The compensation is awarded to personnel seriously injured during service, but under current DWP rules, if not spent within 12 months, it can affect benefit eligibility.
'I find it deeply offensive because savings suggests it's either from being saved, being safe...' Cotton stated in an emotional video message. 'Our Armed Forces that are wounded from war or service, that's not a big privilege, that's about making sure that they can live decent and dignified lives going forwards.'
Family Facing Financial Crisis
James Tattingham was left in a wheelchair for over six months following serious surgery related to a service accident. His wife Lucy serves as his full-time carer, and they have two young sons. Cotton explained that the family's benefits have now been stopped, forcing them to rely solely on the compensation award, which he warned 'won't last two years'.
'They are expected to live off that award and if you're expected to live off it, that award won't last two years,' Cotton said. 'They're supposedly expected to live on now with two young sons and Lucy is James's full time carer because he's not been able to go to work, so they are now expected to live on that money which will run out very very quickly and then what?'
Call for Policy Change and Petition Support
The actor, who is a patron of Help for Heroes, made an impassioned plea for the public to sign a petition demanding that Armed Forces compensation payments be disregarded in Universal Credit calculations. He highlighted what he sees as a glaring inconsistency in government policy.
'The Armed Forces covenant states that no serving member, veteran or their family members will be discriminated against,' Cotton noted. 'Yet if you were awarded compensation quite rightly...like the Grenfell Tower disaster and those people have had their compensation ring fenced ie protected forever quite rightly so their benefits continue and yet our Armed Forces veterans they don't have that privilege.'
Direct Appeal to DWP Minister
Cotton directed a personal message to Sir Stephen Timms, the Minister of State for the DWP, urging immediate policy review. 'This is your policy, you own it,' he stated. 'Please, please can this be looked into and changed because our Armed Forces deserve better and our Armed Forces covenant says that they will not be discriminated against and this policy is discriminatory.'
The actor expressed particular dismay at the timing of the issue, emphasizing that 'the world is on fire at the moment and we're relying on our Armed Forces more than ever'. He concluded his appeal by describing the situation as 'appalling, immoral and it needs sorting out', calling for urgent government action to protect veterans' financial security.
