This archive report was first published on 10 October 2019.
Published on October 10, 2019, a cancer patient's benefits were stopped after she survived longer than expected.
Kathy Hall, 44, who has been battling cancer, claims she was given months to live in 2016 when she was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Despite her illness, Kathy was deemed fit to work during an assessment in August this year, resulting in the loss of her Personal Independence Payment (PIP) of Sh17, 800 (£140) per week.
She now struggles to get by on Universal Credit, providing for herself and her 17-year-old son, Luke Godden, who is in full-time education, at their home in Buxton, Derbyshire.
"I have always tried to fight this cancer. I didn't just want to give in and die," Kathy said. "I want to fight to live for me and my son. Doctors tell me to remain positive and get out and exercise."
However, Kathy feels penalized for her efforts to stay positive and live her life to the fullest. She now feels like she is deteriorating and "is a prisoner in my own home".
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) claims that people with a terminal diagnosis, such as Kathy, are given a higher rate of PIP allowance for a certain period of time.
However, Kathy's consultant accepts that she cannot work due to her cancer diagnosis.
"At the moment my cancer is stable, but anything could happen at any time. It is still there," Kathy said. "I worry that all this stress is making me lose my fight."
