Triple amputee warned he will lose his benefits unless he can prove he is disabled

Widower had both legs and four fingers amputated

Must have medical tests to assess disability

DWP say 'old system simply wrote too many people off' who could work

A triple amputee who had both legs cut off has been threatened with having his benefits stopped - unless he can prove he is disabled.

Devastated Chris Cann, 57, was left wheelchair bound after losing both legs and four fingers to diabetes.

Despite being housebound, the widower, from Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent has now been ordered to undergo medical tests to prove he is too disabled to work or his £600-a-month benefits will be stopped.

Triple amputee Chris Cann has been told he has to prove he is disabled or risk having his benefits stopped

Chris, who developed diabetes six years ago, started claiming disability allowance in 2008 - before he had his legs amputated.



He now has chronic arthritis in both hands and is also struggling to come to terms with the death of his wife of 11 years, Emma Wilson, earlier this month.

Two years ago he had his right leg amputated below the knee and in January this year Chris had surgery again to have his left leg removed as well as four fingers on his right hand.

This week Chris received a letter from the Department of Work and Pensions ordering him to undergo medical tests to prove he should receive the new Employment and Support Allowance.

He said 'It seems a pointless task to me because I am already classed as a triple amputee by social services. It is a waste of time.

'Four years ago I was unfit to work and my health has deteriorated a lot since then.



Even if I could get down there they will take one look at me and say I am unfit for work.

Chris Cann has been left housebound after losing both legs above the knee and four fingers to diabetes

'I am very obviously disabled so I don’t see what tests they have to do.

'I am housebound and on my own.



'They expect me to get a taxi which will cost me £10 each way but I can’t really do that without help.

'I can’t even get upstairs to turn the heating on so how do they expect me to go to all these places?

'If they insist I need these tests, then at least they could do them at my home.

'I do try to take things as they come but it has been a very hard time for me with losing my legs.'

Chris gave up his job as a catering manager in 2008 after being diagnosed with diabetes. He'd spent 30 years working in the fast food industry.



He underwent an assessment which ruled he was too disabled to work and he began receiving benefits.

But after new rules were introduced to tighten up the benefits system he has been told to prove he cannot work under the Department for Work and Pension ’s Work Capability Assessment measures.

A DWP spokesman said: 'The old system simply wrote too many people off without looking at what they were able to do.

'If someone can no longer do the job they used to do, the Work Capability Assessment looks at what other kinds of work they may be able to do.'

A spokesman for Atos Healthcare said: 'We are happy to provide home visits to those who are unable to leave their home.

'These are based on an individual's personal circumstances.'





