A man who requires the toilet up to 30 times a day and frequently faints has had his Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claim rejected by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Ashlee Roberts, a 34-year-old bar manager from Wales, shared his distressing experience with Crohn's disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel condition.
Speaking to WalesOnline, Roberts said: "When I first read the decision letter, my heart sank. In one moment, I went from feeling like I could get my life back on track, to feeling like I was cast aside and left with no options. Now that I’m forced into working full-time, my health is going to majorly suffer."
He added: "Before this, my body was already struggling to get through just everyday normal life. Doctors have advised it’s not safe for me to work with this condition, but now that my PIP was rejected, I don’t have a choice - if I’m to keep a roof over my head, this is what I have to do."
Widespread PIP rejections
Over 330,000 PIP claims have been rejected by the DWP in recent periods. Rejections often occur because assessments fail to understand how conditions impact daily life, lack of strong evidence, or do not meet specific "descriptor" criteria. If rejected, claimants must request a Mandatory Reconsideration within one month, with an 82% success rate at independent appeals.
Roberts scored only two points in his assessment. He said: "But the reality is, I sent off a big folder of medical evidence from medical professionals as well as my employer and as well as people who know me. I have had major surgeries, I am under specialist care and I experience this on a daily basis, and apparently that’s not enough."
Living with Crohn's disease
Roberts explained that Crohn's disease is not treated by painkillers but requires biological medicines. He provided evidence of a prescription for codeine, a pain reliever, and continues to see a doctor every other week. He said: "So, just because I’m intelligent and I can hold a conversation... I cannot intake food properly - that is the whole point. Also, I cannot safely cook a meal all the time because I have to run to the bathroom, leaving my food unattended, which in the past has caused smoking and the fire alarms to go off, and at one point did cause a fire on the hob."
He added: "So it doesn’t matter that I have to go to the bathroom 20 to 30 times a day, it doesn’t matter that I can’t go out of the house because I’m stuck glued to the toilet? It doesn’t matter that I starve myself all day because of the toilet issues?"
Roberts also stopped taking mental health medication as advised by his doctors due to interactions with Crohn's treatments. He said: "I literally spend most of my day prior to going out of the house starving myself because I’m afraid of having an accident when I’m out - which has happened on several occasions. I am genuinely terrified of fainting while I’m out because I am so fatigued, so dizzy from not eating and not having the nutrition that I need. I have fainted at the bus stop, I have fainted in the streets, I have fainted in supermarkets."
DWP response
A DWP spokesperson said: "We are very sorry to hear about Mr Roberts’ situation. We know PIP can be improved, which is why we launched the Timms Review, working with disabled people and their organisations to ensure the benefit is fair and fit for the future. We also opened a Call for Evidence last month so people can share their views on how the benefit should be reformed."
