Coventry mum Jackie Braithwaite has been told she is fit to work – even though her incurable illness often leaves her bedridden.
Jackie, aged 46, is among a growing army of patients in Coventry who have been diagnosed with the painful condition fibromyalgia.
And like many fellow sufferers Jackie is embroiled in a distressing battle for benefits.
Jackie was first refused incapacity benefit in July 2009 but won her appeal in March last year. But this month her payments were stopped following an annual assessment and she now faces another appeal.
The mum of four said: “I feel like they’re are calling me a liar. I tried my best to do everything they asked but was in pain the whole time. The form doesn’t show that.”
Jackie, who has a 12-year-old daughter Olivia, was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (ME) seven years ago but carried on working as a van driver. Three years ago she was also diagnosed with fibromyalgia, which she says forced her to stop working in 2009.
“Most days I feel so bad I don’t even want to leave the house but I try my best to get up in the mornings and see my husband and daughter off,” said Jackie, of Wainbody Avenue South, Green Lane. Her case is far from unique.
Coventry Fibromyalgia Support Group says many of its 300 members face an annual fight for benefits. And it warns the resulting stress can make the condition even worse.
I'm told it currently takes a whole year from the time they were initially withdrawn for benefits to be restored following a successful appeal. Part of the reason for that is the appeal system has been swamped due to the unprecedented number of rejected claims.
Good work by the Telegraph but let us not forget that fibromyalgia sufferers are not the only group who are having difficulty making benefit claims.
