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A disabled dad died after being repeatedly refused benefits and told he was fit to work, his heartbroken girlfriend has revealed.

Louise Aldous revealed the Department for Work and Pensions only accepted Mark Hayes should have been entitled to support after his death.

She said: “I believe he’d still be here now but for the way they treated him. The stress made his high blood pressure worse.”

Mark, 48, died of a brain haemorrhage in 2013.

The Sunday People understands his illnesses included liver failure and immobility through three metal plates in his legs and hips.

Despite needing full-time care from Lucinda, painter Mark repeatedly failed disability benefit tests.

Lucinda, 24 – who has since received Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Carer’s Allowance backdated to his first rejected application in 2010 – said his assessments at Nutwood House in Canterbury, Kent, involved “silly questions”.

(Image: Google)

Lucinda, now raising their six-year-old daughter Natasha alone in Margate, added: “I still can’t understand why they thought he was fit to work.

"He’d also lost the use of his hands. He couldn’t even hold his own baby daughter.”

Figures last month showed one in seven PIP claimants, 83,000 people, were given no points at all between April and October 2016.

Claimants must score at least eight to be paid the benefit.

A DWP spokesman said:“Our thoughts are with Mr Hayes’ family. Decisions are based on information provided and overturned usually because new evidence is given."