A DIABETIC claimant who dropped dead in a job centre queue had been passed fit for work, friends have claimed.

The 65-year-old man was waiting for an appointment about his Jobseeker’s Allowance at Llanelli Jobcentre Plus (pictured) in south Wales when he collapsed.

Staff members and customers rushed to help the man and a woman started CPR as an ambulance was called at 9.30am on Friday.

A witness said: ‘A man next to me who had grown up with him told me that the poorly guy had diabetes.

‘He had been declared fit for work by the job centre earlier in the year but he was obviously ill.

‘This lady who worked there walked over to him after she thought he looked quite unwell and that’s when they realised he’d collapsed.’ Paramedics were unable to save the man’s life and he died at the scene.

Dyfed-Powys Police said there were no suspicious circumstances. His next of kin and the coroner have been informed.

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said: ‘Our thoughts and those of the staff at Llanelli Jobcentre are with the family and friends at this time.’

An investigation by Disability News Service earlier this year claimed that more than 5,000 people died within six months of being found fit for work between 2008 and 2017. It also emerged that more than 17,000 claimants for Personal Independence Payments died before the DWP made a decision on their claim.