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A dad-of-two left paralysed down one side of his body following a major stroke has been stripped of his benefits after being told he is fit to work.

Steve Smith, 55, was holidaying in Turkey 11 years ago when he unexpectedly suffered a debilitating stroke and brain haemorrhage.

He spent six weeks in hospital abroad, with surgeons having to cut away at his skull and operate on his brain but Mr Smith was left partially paralysed with poorer cognitive functions.

After flying back to England, Mr Smith, who has no feeling down his left side, was given a year to recuperate by his employers but after his condition failed to improve he was made redundant.

(Image: Jerome Ellerby)

Mr Smith, who lives in Orchard Park, has been claiming Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) but last month he received a devastating blow.

During a Work Capability Assessment, the soon-to-be grandad says he was told he is now fit to work and on March 31, he would no longer receive ESA.

“I’m not able to work,” Mr Smith said. “I know for a fact that I wouldn’t be able to manage.

“I was told that I am capable of doing some type of work but to me, I just can’t. It was a bit of a shock and when they told me I was just thinking, ‘well what can I do?’

“I can’t lift boxes unless they’ve got a handle on them and I wouldn’t be able to do it with just one hand.

(Image: Jerome Ellerby)

“During the day I spend most of the time looking at myself. If I had to go to work for eight hours a day I wouldn’t have time to look after myself and I would just deteriorate.

“I can barely cope doing little menial things. There just wouldn’t be enough time in the day with all the travelling and I would need to get someone to do my shopping.”

The stroke also left Mr Smith with no peripheral vision and he says he is paralysed from head to toe down the left side of his body.

He worked from the age of 16 up until he had a stroke aged 44 and did a variety of jobs, including working in construction and being a park ranger.

Although Mr Smith was keen to return to a normal working life after his stroke, his condition has not improved and he now thinks it will be impossible for him to ever work again.

(Image: Jerome Ellerby)

“I think it’s just beyond me to work,” he said. “I would maybe last a couple of days and not even that potentially. It just wouldn’t be possible and it would affect me too much.

“I’ve always worked and I’ve had a good working history from 16 to 44. I’ve done some good jobs and some hard jobs but now it’s a struggle.

“It’s a strange condition I’ve got. Every day I think ‘will I ever get back to normal?’ But then I wake up the next day and I’m still the same.

“You’ve just got to get on with it. There has been no improvement, I’ve stayed the same and I’ve just got to get used to managing it.”

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has been in contact with Mr Smith and the government department is supporting him with claiming JSA.

He will continue to receive Disability Living Allowance and is not required to claim Universal Credit.

A spokeswoman for the DWP said: “Work Capability Assessments look at what people can do, rather than what they can’t.

“Our assessments are carried out by medical professionals but if someone disagrees with the decision, they can appeal to an independent tribunal.”

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