Benefits campaign for disabled people

Sandy Kelland-Rosser had her benefit cut

A disability advice group is campaigning to highlight the problem of people with disabilities being denied alllowances by the Benefits Agency.

The Disability Information Advice Line - or DIAL - said that people are losing out on benefits because doctors employed by the agency to assess people's needs are not doing their job properly.

Sandy Kelland-Rosser had been claiming full disability benefit for nearly 20 years after an assault eventually forced her to have her leg amputated.

Two years ago, the Benefits Agency sent a doctor to her home to reassess her needs.

Benefit restored

As a result of the assessment made by that doctor, the Benefits Agency cut her weekly allowance by a third.

Mrs Kelland-Rosser had her full benefit restored after she questioned the doctor's assessment in front of a tribunal.

But DIAL said it is getting nearly 60 calls a week from people who have been treated in a similar way.

The group has called for the Benefits Agency to review its procedures and stop shortchanging people in genuine need.