AN EMPLOYEE at the Department for Work and Pensions who has a terminal heart condition and a host of other medical conditions, has won a case against the department for rejecting his personal independent payment (PIP) claim.

The man, who did not want to be named, said he was put through a considerable amount of stress over the assessment process, which was finally brought to tribunal on March 5.

After his initial PIP claim was rejected in February 2019, the claimant, who is also a type two diabetic, dyslexic, and autistic, appealed the decision.

The claimant also has a spinal condition, and mobility issues due to his heart condition and diabetes, which causes problems with blood flow, resulting in leg infections.

The man, from Southend, was made to undergo several medical assessments and says the department was already well aware of his medical conditions.

He told the Echo: “The PIP process has made me feel like a criminal.

“You are presumed guilty until proven innocent – the whole process is designed to force people through so many hoops it ends up affecting them psychologically, so much so they end up dropping their claim.

“The whole process to take them to court has taken more than a year. It is physically and mentally draining.

“I just followed the advice from the Citizen Advice Bureau to keep on appealing their rejections. They have supported me the whole way through, they’ve been great.”

The man applied for PIP to help with travel costs to and from hospital appointments, as he suffers with mobility issues and doesn’t drive.

The benefit is designed to help with extra costs if you have long-term ill health or a disability.

Representatives of the DWP failed to attend the hearing at Southend Magistrates’ Court.

The man added: “The DWP didn’t bother turning up to refute my claim – this is a damming indictment of the DWP willing to waste taxpayers’ money in court cases.

“I wonder what the true cost in court time and money has been wasted by the department is.”

As an employee within the DWP, the man claims that the department does its best to dissuade people from claiming the PIP benefit wherever they can.

BBC Panorama broadcast an episode on March 9 entitled “The Million Pound Disability Payout”.

The programme, saw reporter Richard Burchins discover that the DWP, which is meant to help disabled people get back into work, has lost more employment tribunals for disability discrimination that any employer in Britain.