Mum-of-three was told to find a job by Atos chiefs.. weeks later she died of a brain tumour
ELENORE TATTON had been ordered to find a job by the disability assessors but just weeks later she died from the brain tumour she had had since she was a teenager
……..Elenore Tatton, 39, had never worked after being plagued by the tumour since she was 15. Despite telling ATOS about her serious health problems, she was told to begin the process to find employment.A scan then showed Elenore’s tumour had returned and this time was terminal. She died in a hospice within weeks. Her dad Ian said: “Even though she told the ATOS assessor that she had the brain tumour, they started the process to get her back into work.
“She was going to appeal but then she became unwell and was admitted to the Western General. “After two weeks we were told there was nothing they could do for her. She died at St Columba’s Hospice………
….. Elenore, who was receiving Employment Support Allowance when she died, was called to an ATOS Work Capability Assessment at the start of March. There she was told she would have to attend the Work Related Activity Group to prepare her for finding work.
The group is for people on ESA who the Department of Work and Pensions believe are capable of working with support. People referred to the group are required to attend regular interviews with an adviser and are expected to undertake relevant training and work-related activities with a view to applying for jobs. Benefits can be reduced if they fail to attend interviews or carry out activities.
Raymond Kerr, Elenore’s partner of 20 years, said, despite struggling with grief and his own health problems, he was this week told his Employment Support Allowance would be stopped and he’d have to find work.
The 43-year-old – dad to Marie, 19, Michael, 16, and Ian, 14 – suffers from gangrene of the appendix, diabetes and has had part of his bowel removed.
He said: “I’m trying to cope but I’m not managing. “It’s so difficult without Elenore, we did everything together. “When she passed away it was just horrendous. I was with her, so was her mum and dad. We were with her every moment. “It was exhausting and so difficult to watch.
“I keep collapsing all the time. I told them this at my reassessment but they said I was not unfit for work.
“I feel like this is what happened to Elenore before she went to hospital.“I think she was under a great deal of pressure and stress. It’s a living nightmare.”
By Sally Hind in ‘The Daily Record’ 22th July 2013. Read the full article here: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/mum-of-three-elenore-told-find-job-2074333
