Lack of Postmen Saw A Pensioners Disability Benefits Cut

'I lost my benefits due to post chaos'

A Pensioner has had her disability benefit stopped after a lack of postmen meant mail wasn’t delivered to homes in Dovercourt.

Last week the Standard reported how a former postie was asked to collect his own parcel and then given a pile of undelivered post.

Diane Davis, of Howard Avenue, says she also stopped receiving letters along with her neighbours.

But when her post was delivered, she discovered an important appointment to assess her disability payments on August 31.

The 67-year-old said: “I got the letter after the appointment, I think on September 6.

“I called and explained but they said because I didn’t turn up they were stopping my benefits.

“I’m being penalised because of the post not being delivered.

“I pulled the postman up on it and he said we’re lucky to get it as they are so short staffed, some days we’ll get it and some days we won’t.”

Miss Davis suffers with severe back pain, needs a walking stick, and has arthritis in her fingers.

She says she relies on her benefit payment to buy food and put towards her rent.

“I’ve got crumbling of the spine and the doctor says it will just get worse,” she added.

“I rely on that money, without it I’m going to struggle.

“They said it will have to be taken as a new claim, I’ll have to go for an appointment.

“I don’t know how long it will take to sort out.”

A spokesman from the Department for Work and Pensions said they are in talks with Miss Davis about resolving the issue and restarting her benefit claim.

Speaking last week, Royal Mail spokesman Henry Perry apologised about the level of service customers in Harwich had received due to staffing shortages.

He said they were trying to resolve the issue and recruit staff as quickly as possible.