A former nurse who was rejected for personal independence payment (PIP) despite having a life-changing condition, he said the government urgently needed to address how he sees society benefit applicants.

Gitanjali Gordon, 53, from Blackpool, said and THE Budget they need to support vulnerable people who depend on benefits like PIP, instead of demonizing them and “treating them like thieves and thieves”.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves warned earlier this year that there would be “difficult decisions” about the social expenses in her autumn budget and speculation was rife about potential cuts to disability benefits and reforms.

Mrs Gordon, a mother of two, applied for PIP in August 2022 when she was diagnosed with achalasia, a rare and incurable condition of the esophagus that made it difficult for him to swallow food and drink.

Ms Gordon says doctors told her her nervous system was so badly damaged it was “like being in a car accident”.

She told evaluators that her seizure-like symptoms meant she was too scared to go out and was practically confined to the house.

When the evaluators asked her what she would do if she needed to go somewhere, she told them she would use a taxi if she desperately needed to be somewhere.

She was later informed that her PIP claim had been rejected as she felt she was not ill enough to get into a taxi.

Ms Gordon, who worked in healthcare for more than 15 years, including as an operating theater nurse in Kolkata, India, before coming to live in the UK in 2002, appealed the decision in January 2023 but was not reviewed.

said Mrs. Gordon and that it would be unfair to benefit applicantssuch as those in PIP, be targeted in the budget as they are among the poorest and most vulnerable in society.

“There are so many people who are on PIP or have been rejected for PIP who are suffering in silence and are afraid to speak out,” she said. “Anyone who has health conditions and needs a safety net shouldn’t feel that way.

“I am not well at all because of my condition. I am in a lot of pain and have to take strong painkillers. As I have been rejected for PIP I have to rely on my family to help me.”

Ms Gordon says that while savings need to be made for the economy, a tightening of the disability benefits system would be the wrong move.

“It’s unfair to go after vulnerable people who are on PIP or other benefits because the reason these people are claiming is because they cannot work properly and do not have enough finances to survive,” she said.

“The only reason they are on PIP is because they can’t afford not to be.

“It’s not easy having to ask for money in the first place and people wouldn’t do it unless they had to because it makes them feel unworthy and guilty.

“If the government feels it needs to get some money back for the economy, it should go after the rich tax-dodging companies – don’t take money from poor people.”

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Ms Gordon says there is a stereotypical attitude from society that people on benefits are “scrougers” and she believes the Government is adding fuel to this stigma with suggestions that benefits should be cut.

“It’s not easy to claim or apply for PIP,” she says. “There’s a lot of paperwork and it’s quite complicated and a lot of evidence is required – and then even when you provide it, you’re still rejected.

“This makes life very difficult for people who are already ill and perhaps disabled and struggling financially.

“The whole culture around PIP makes people feel guilty for claiming it in the first place and there seems to be this view from society that anyone who relies on PIP or other benefits is a scrounger.

“The government is adding to this with their attitude to benefits and telling people they will be checking and raiding their bank accounts. This is treating someone like a thief and it is wrong.

“If the government that promises to support vulnerable people talks and treats people on benefits in this way, what hope do people have for how the rest of society sees them?

“There needs to be a change in the way people on benefits are viewed. There needs to be more compassion and they should be treated with dignity and respect.”

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said. and that Mrs Gordon’s claim for PIP was refused as she did not qualify.

They stated that the use of public transport does not count towards PIP and the award decision was based on assessment alone.

The DWP added that PIP is awarded based on how the conditions affect the claimant and is meant to cover additional living costs incurred as a result of the health condition.

It says anyone who disagrees with the decision of a mandatory review can appeal to an independent tribunal.