A TEENAGER who suffers from the human form of mad cow disease could lose her home after going onto Universal Credit, her gran fears.

Jean Godfrey has brought up Emily Lyndon, 19, since she was a baby - and her mother tragically died from the disease.

5 Emily and grandmother Jean fear losing their home over switching to Universal Credit Credit: Guzelian

Sally Evans became one of the first Brits to get Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, which attacks the brain, but she died when Emily was just seven months old.

Brain-damaged Emily is in a wheelchair and can't walk, talk or feed herself.

Jean, 68, was told the pair's joint income would be cut from £720 a week to £342 as they will move to Universal Credit, and Emily had now turned 19.

And her grandmother now faces having to sell their bungalow in East Markham in Nottinghamshire.

5 Emily was born with the human form of mad cow disease - and her mother sadly died Credit: Guzelian

5 Emily can't speak or eat and needs constant care Credit: Guzelian

"Government failures let mad cow disease into the human food chain, killing my daughter and brain-damaging my granddaughter," she said.

"I’ve spent 20 years caring for Emily. Now these benefit cuts could make us homeless."

The pair have lost Support for Mortgage Interest - which was replaced by a loan - and Special Guardianship Allowance.

They can't get Child Tax Credit or Child Benefit now as Emily is too old.

After checking her claim they found she was eligible for Employment and Support Allowance.

But they will still be £245 a week worse off.

178 have died from the infection so far - and Sally unknowingly developed the condition while pregnant.

5 Jean fears they will lose their home over the benefits changes Credit: Guzelian

Jean added: "Emily can’t speak or eat. We feed her using a syringe to pump food into her stomach via a tube.

"She’s doubly incontinent and can’t walk, as I told the Universal Credit officials.

“It costs £150 a month for heating oil, so if we heat our house we cannot eat. I think we will still lose our home."

Despite this, Emily still had to attend a "work capability assessment" at her local jobcentre in Retford.

Tory MP Anna Soubry said of the case today: "No ifs no buts no excuses this is a disgrace & NOT what I voted for when supporting much needed benefit reforms."

Emily and Jean are just one of many cases who say the move to Universal Credit has pushed them into debt and slashed their benefits.

But ministers say that people being moved over won't be worse off.

Today one woman said she was forced into sex work while waiting for her benefits to come through.

5 Emily's Mum Sally died from the disease when Emily was just seven months old Credit: Guzelian

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The DWP said in a statement: “As Emily has turned 19 and left full-time education, she is no longer eligible for child benefits.

“Emily now receives Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment.

“We have ensured she is receiving the correct support, and have backdated all payments. This has been communicated to Emily and her grandmother.”

Referring to the work capability assessment, a DWP spokesman added: “As Emily has a severe disability, she will not need to attend any further assessments.”

Single mum on Universal Credit recounts how she was forced to food banks at Christmas

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