Woman Triumphs in Decade-Long DWP Dispute Over Benefits Removal
A mother who claims she "lost her 50s" has emerged victorious from a grueling ten-year conflict with the Department for Work and Pensions regarding her disability benefits. Helen Derici, aged 61, was incorrectly deprived of her Disability Living Allowance by the DWP for an entire decade, a situation that began after her appearance on a BBC documentary.
Benefits Stripped After Television Appearance
Helen, a former teacher and mother of one, lost her DLA after featuring in a Panorama documentary titled 'Hooked on Painkillers'. The half-hour program documented her participation in a withdrawal program aimed at reducing her reliance on high-dose painkillers for chronic pain. While the process improved her mental state and motivation, her physical disabilities—the foundation for her benefit payments—remained unchanged.
The DWP claimed she had failed to report an improvement in her condition, leading to the termination of her benefits. Helen recounted receiving a letter from the DWP stating they believed her disability was "doubtful." She later discovered the department had conducted video surveillance on her, using this as basis for their decision.
A Decade of Hardship and Invisible Disabilities
"As soon as they believed I was of doubtful disability, which was in August 2016, I had no benefits from them for the last 10 years," Helen explained to CornwallLive. She emphasized the DWP should have pursued a benefit appeal before considering any criminal case, criticizing the handling of her situation.
Helen highlighted the challenges faced by individuals with invisible disabilities, stating, "I really feel that people like me, with not obviously visible disabilities, you can look all right, but you really are not. That’s the problem with invisible disabilities and invisible illnesses."
Reflecting on the impact, she added, "The last 10 years have been awful. It's the worst thing that's ever happened to me. I lost my fifties. It's really difficult for me to talk about the mental impact, but I was always a really happy person. And that's changed. It's a shame, but it's changed."
Legal Support and Advocacy Response
Kester Dean of Kester Disability Rights described Helen's case as "the worst I’ve seen in 30 years of advice work." He asserted there was no legitimate basis for removing her DLA or demanding repayment. The advocacy group has contacted Helen's MP, urging intervention with the Minister for Disabled People, Stephen Timms, regarding the misuse of surveillance that instills fear in many claimants.
Dean remarked, "What happened to Helen is many disabled social security claimants’ worst nightmare. A nightmare that would never have ended had Helen not had the courage and determination to keep fighting."
DWP Statement and Resolution
A spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions responded, "Ensuring disabled people and those with long-term health conditions get the support they need is important to us. We uphold and respect the decision of the court, and Mrs Derici has received her award. In all cases, we always aim to reach an award decision promptly while carefully considering all available evidence."
Helen's persistent efforts have finally led to the restoration of her benefits, bringing an end to a prolonged ordeal that underscores systemic issues in benefit assessments for those with non-visible conditions.
