The Guardian: Leading the News
UK Ministers Apologize and Return Benefits to Dementia Patient
Summary:
British government ministers have apologized and repaid over £7,000 in benefits to a 93-year-old woman with dementia after she was wrongfully accused of fraud. The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been receiving benefits for several years when she was contacted by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in 2019 and accused of failing to declare her savings.
The DWP demanded that she repay over £13,000 in benefits, which she did under duress. The woman's family appealed the decision, and after a lengthy legal battle, the DWP has now acknowledged that they made a mistake and have apologized for the distress caused.
The case has raised concerns about the way the DWP treats vulnerable people, and the Alzheimer's Society has called for an independent inquiry into the department's handling of dementia cases.
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