Food bank stories
Jim’s story
'It was really hard all winter, having to cut back on heating. I was in such pain with my leg because of the cold, and the flat got damp and covered in black mould because I couldn’t heat it. I had to keep using the food bank so I had enough food to eat.'
Jim is disabled and lives on his own. Like many people we help at the Foodbank, Jim’s disability benefit Personal Independence Payment (PIP) was reviewed at a DWP medical assessment, resulting in it being significantly reduced. He was referred to Wandsworth Foodbank because his income no longer covered essentials. Our Foodbank Adviser, Sylwia, helped him appeal the DWP’s decision, leading to his disability benefit being fully reinstated and back-dated – more than a year after it was incorrectly reduced. Jim says:
‘I’d been assessed every year for five years, either Employment Support Allowance or PIP. At the last health assessment they barely touched on my mental health, even though it was the main reason I was there. Then they just cut my money in half.
‘It was really hard all winter, having to cut back on heating. I was in such pain with my leg because of the cold, and the flat got damp and covered in black mould because I couldn’t heat it. I had to keep using the food bank so I had enough food to eat.
‘Sylwia was a great help with appealing the decision. I knew I was in the right, but wading through the all the forms and the evidence was really difficult, especially because I’m dyslexic. I waited nearly ten months to get to the appeal hearing, and then it was over in three minutes. Before I’d even sat down, the judge said she’d looked at all the five years’ of evidence from my psychiatrist and doctor and she was sorry I was there: that my benefits should never have been stopped. She recommended I shouldn’t have another health assessment for ten years. That was absolutely brilliant, but I’m constantly on edge it’s going to happen again.’