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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Leicester 'fire risk' wheelchair user's benefits reinstated | Leicester 'fire risk' wheelchair user's benefits reinstated |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A disabled man who was refused a benefits assessment because his wheelchair was deemed a safety risk, has had his payments reinstated. | A disabled man who was refused a benefits assessment because his wheelchair was deemed a safety risk, has had his payments reinstated. |
| Charles Foreman, from Leicestershire, who has a back condition, had his benefits stopped in 2011. | Charles Foreman, from Leicestershire, who has a back condition, had his benefits stopped in 2011. |
| The 53-year-old was turned away from an assessment on the first floor of a health centre in 2013 because providers Atos said his chair was a "fire risk". | The 53-year-old was turned away from an assessment on the first floor of a health centre in 2013 because providers Atos said his chair was a "fire risk". |
| Atos's contract ended early in March over "significant quality failures". | Atos's contract ended early in March over "significant quality failures". |
| 'Depressed' | 'Depressed' |
| Mr Foreman, from Market Harborough, said he was "ecstatic" after the hearing in New Walk, Leicester. | Mr Foreman, from Market Harborough, said he was "ecstatic" after the hearing in New Walk, Leicester. |
| "It's been hell - it's like being buried. I've been depressed - I haven't been eating," he said. | "It's been hell - it's like being buried. I've been depressed - I haven't been eating," he said. |
| Mr Foreman has had back problems since 1982 which eventually forced him to stop working 12 years later. | |
| He started claiming disability benefits a decade later after he was told he had a degenerative back condition. | He started claiming disability benefits a decade later after he was told he had a degenerative back condition. |
| But his benefits were stopped in 2011 after a doctor assessed him at his home. | But his benefits were stopped in 2011 after a doctor assessed him at his home. |
| Benefits change | Benefits change |
| Last year he was turned away from an assessment related to his Incapacity Benefit at a building in Rutland Street, Leicester, because Atos was "unable to allow access" to people with walking aids. | |
| It claimed the number of stairs they would need to descend in a fire posed a fire risk. | It claimed the number of stairs they would need to descend in a fire posed a fire risk. |
| The company apologised for turning Mr Foreman away last year and said it offered alternative options to wheelchair users who were asked to attend appointments at the government-owned building. | |
| At the tribunal, he was told his Disability Living Allowance, now called the Personal Independence Payment, will be reinstated and backdated to 2012. | At the tribunal, he was told his Disability Living Allowance, now called the Personal Independence Payment, will be reinstated and backdated to 2012. |
| In 2010 the government began phasing out incapacity benefit and required all claimants to be assessed before switching to Employment and Support Allowance. | In 2010 the government began phasing out incapacity benefit and required all claimants to be assessed before switching to Employment and Support Allowance. |
| Atos was heavily criticised over the number of assessments it made and lengthy waiting times and ended its contract with the Department of Work and Pensions early in March. |