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A woman who lost her leg in a hit-and-run crash is having her mobility car taken away by benefits assessors.

Bethany Bright, 22, was involved in a serious accident in June last year where her leg needed to be amputated - just a month before her 21st birthday.

Billy Boom, 24, from Rainham, has admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving and is due to be sentenced next year.

However, a year on from the crash, Bethany is being forced to give up her car after being told her disability allowance has been reduced.

She says there's no question she will lose her independence, Essex Live reports.

Bethany's life changed forever when she was 'struck by a motorbike' near where she worked, she claims.

She was in hospital for a month following the accident and then spent two months in rehab to learn how to adjust to her injuries.

Bethany said: "A motorbike did a wheeley and hit me. He left the scene.

"At the time I had a lot of injuries and was sent to Royal London Hospital.

"I had to learn to walk again."

But she doesn't remember being at the accident or what happened in those moments.

"It's been hard adjusting," she added.

After learning to walk again with a prosthetic leg, or with a crutch, she then went on to move on with her life.

She was awarded full disability allowance under the benefit system, which meant she was able to apply to get a car through the charity Motability.

Bethany, who is from Canvey Island, said: "I have pushed myself to get on with it and having that car is a big part of it, without my car I wouldn't have my independence."

Bethany's car is an automatic, with the gear stick resembling an indicator on the right hand side of the steering wheel, meaning she can still drive.

But all of that is about to be taken away as an assessment stated she can "walk between 20 and 50 metres unaided".

The decision was also based around her being able to plan and follow a journey, meaning she understands the route and can get from point A to point B without any help.

Because of this decision, and her ability to prepare food, wash, bathe and dress, they have reduced her benefit from 'enhanced' to 'standard', which means she will lose her vehicle.

Bethany, who is fighting against the decision, said: "I received a letter from the government about their decision about a month ago and I disputed it.

"I told them that of course I can complete a journey as I have haven't lost mental capacity - I have lost a leg.

"But I can only walk up to 50 metres on a good day, and if I can't wear my prosthetic leg because of an accident or surgery or it hurts, which does happen, then I need my wheelchair.

"Even with my leg, I have to use a crutch or a stick, but they believe that is unaided."

The 22-year-old, who works for Calor Gas Centre in Stanford-le-Hope, said if she bangs her stump the pain is "excruciating".

She explained: "It's not the same as when someone stubs their toe as example, if I stub the bone of my leg and it's excruciating for a long time."

Bethany can't wear her prosthetic leg all the time. She claims she gets sores and blisters from its use, and there are times she can't wear it for medical reasons.

"I had to have more time off work again to have surgery on my stump," she added.

"I couldn't wear my leg for three months after that and in those scenarios I would need my car and wouldn't be able to get anywhere."

Bethany is worried that when her car has to be returned that she won't be able to get to work, and would have to give up her job as an administrator.

Her employers supported her following the accident and allowed her to beome part-time as it was too much for her to continue working on full-time hours.

She says there is no public transport to the industrial estate where she works, and private transport such as taxis would be a large expense.

She also has to travel to Crystal Palace, which is 30 miles away from her home, for regular physio appointments which she still has to attend.

Bethany added: "If my car is taken away I won't be able to get there. I would have to consider a new job and that would scare me.

"I had anxiety before my accident but now I have it if I am going anywhere new, going new places or meeting new people, it's hard."

Bethany is not disputing her ability to plan and follow a journey, or that she can walk aided with her crutch and leg for a limited amount of time, however those things do not account for her need for the vehicle supplied via the Motability charity.

The charity only allows benefit recipients who are on the 'enhanced' rate of disability payments, which Bethany received before the reassessment.

Her benefit, a Personal Independence Payment (PIP), is a new benefit paid to people who are living with a long-term disability or health conditions that impact their daily life. It is replacing Disability Living Allowance, or DLA, for people aged between 16 and 64.

Bethany chose a Mercedes, which is a more expensive vehicle, because the gear stick was more accessible, but says she traded in her own vehicle to provide a payment upfront.

Why did the Government change Bethany's assessment?

One area of the assessment looks at the activity of planning and following a journey and this can include public transport and whether anxiety or stress stops individuals from leaving their property. This is not connected to physical mobility.

Bethany was told she was assessed as 'can plan and follow the route of a journey unaided', based on her non-physical mobility needs and that her benefit will be cut. But her journeys are not taken because of psychology stress, it is because she is able to drive her car after losing her leg.

The amount of PIP someone receives depends on their point score for the daily-living PIP test and the PIP test for mobiliy.

Under the daily living component there are two rates, a standard £57.30 rate per week, or an enhanced £85.60 per week. Standard is awarded for those scoring between eight and 11 points, and enhanced for 12 points or more.

Then there is the mobility component, which has a standard rate of £22.65 a week, and the enhanced for £59.75 per week, which have the same thresholds.

Bethany's new assessment awarded her just 10 points.

The next step would mean she would have to fight for her case in court.

"You can appeal it further but I have to take them to court," she explained. "And talk in front of a judge, a doctor and a disability expert and that won't take place before I have to give the car back on January 7, especially with Christmas and New Year."

A Department of Work and Pensions spokesperson said: “Assessments for PIP are carried out by qualified health professionals, who understand that not everybody with the same disability is affected in the same way.

“Decisions for PIP are made using all the available evidence, and anyone who disagrees with a decision can appeal.”