“PIP plaintiffs must stop being seen as beggars and thieves.”

Former nurse who was denied Personal Independence Payment (PIP) despite his life changing fortunes, said the government urgently needs to address how society perceives applicants for benefits.

Gitanjali Gordon, 53, from Blackpool, said I That Budget there is a need to support vulnerable people who depend on benefits such as PIP, rather than demonizing them and “treating them like beggars and thieves.”

Chancellor Rachel Reeves warned earlier this year that “difficult decisions” would be made social security expenses in her autumn budget, and speculation has been rife around potential disability benefit cuts and reforms.

Ms Gordon, a mother of two, applied for PIP in August 2022 when she was diagnosed with: achalasia, a rare and incurable disease of the esophagus that makes it difficult for her to swallow food and drink.

Ms Gordon said doctors told her her nervous system was so badly damaged it felt “like she had been in a car accident”.

She told experts the seizure-like symptoms meant she was too scared to go outside and barely left the house.

When the experts asked her what she would do if she needed to go somewhere, she told them that she would use a taxi if she desperately needed to go somewhere.

She was later informed that her PIP application was rejected as it was believed that she would not be so ill if she could get into a taxi.

Ms Gordon, who worked in healthcare for more than 15 years, including as an operating theater nurse in Kolkata, India, before moving to the UK in 2002, challenged the decision in January 2023, but it was not reviewed.

Ms. Gordon said. I that it would be unfair to benefit applicantssuch as those participating in the PIP for inclusion in the budget as they are among the poorest and most vulnerable sections of society.

“There are so many people who are on PIP or who have been denied PIP who are suffering in silence and are afraid to speak up,” she said. “Anyone who has health problems and needs a safety net should not feel this way.

“I don’t feel good at all because of my condition. I am in a lot of pain and have to take strong painkillers. Since I was denied PIP, I have to rely on my family to help me.”

Ms Gordon says while savings are necessary for the economy, tightening the disability benefits system would be the wrong move.

“It’s unfair to persecute vulnerable people on PIP or other benefits because the reason these people are claiming is because they cannot work properly and do not have enough finances to survive,” she said.

“The only reason they are on PIP is because they can’t afford it.

“Firstly, asking for money is not easy and people wouldn’t do it if they didn’t have to because it makes them feel humiliated and guilty.

“If the government feels it needs to get some money back for the economy, it should go after rich tax-avoiding companies – don’t take money from poor people.”

Ms Gordon says society stereotypes people on benefits as “eaters” and she believes the Government is adding fuel to that stigma by proposing benefit cuts.

“It’s not easy to file or apply for PIP,” she says. “There are a lot of documents, and they are quite complex, you need a lot of evidence – then, even if you provide them, they will still refuse you.

“It makes life very difficult for people who are already unwell, possibly disabled and struggling financially.

“The whole culture surrounding PIP makes people feel guilty for claiming it, and there seems to be a public perception that anyone who relies on PIP or other benefits is a fraud.

“The government is also adding to this their attitude towards benefits and telling people they will check them and raid their bank accounts. It’s treating someone like a thief, and it’s wrong.

“If a government that promises to support vulnerable people talks about people on benefits and treats them this way, what hope do people have for how the rest of society views them?

“It is necessary to change the attitude towards people receiving benefits. More compassion is needed and they should be treated with dignity and respect.”

This was reported by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). I that Ms. Gordon’s application for PIP was rejected because she did not meet the criteria.

They said public transport use was not taken into account under the PIP and the decision to award the grant was based on the assessment only.

The DWP added that PIP is awarded based on how the conditions affect the claimant and is intended to cover additional living costs incurred as a result of the health condition.

It says anyone who disagrees with the decision to force a review can appeal to an independent tribunal.