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Bridlington hero amputee loses benefits
A FRENZY of national press coverage has followed the plight of a Bridlington soldier refused disability benefit despite losing his leg after an explosion in Afghanistan.
The Free Press first spoke to 26-year-old amputee Aron Shelton, of Redwood Close, last Wednesday – the day he was told by the Government Department of Work and Pensions that a new assessment concluded he was no longer entitled to monthly disability payments for his car.
Since then, his plight has been reported by the national media and has seen Aron appear on BBC radio, in national newspapers and on local news programmes, in a week he describes as "hectic".
Aron suffered terrible injuries in 2007 when his Snatch Land Rover was blown up by a roadside bomb while out on patrol in Helmand Province – an incident that also killed one of the vehicle's passengers, Drummer Thomas Wright, 21.
The explosion left Aron with injuries so severe that his left leg had to be amputated and his right leg is now so full of pins and plates that Aron describes it as 'virtually a metal limb' which he faces losing in the near future due to arthritis affecting the remaining bones.
Despite this, Aron underwent gruelling rehabilitation and learned how to walk again, but his reward was a letter last week informing him that his car payment benefits will stop because he has been deemed not disabled enough to meet Disability Living Allowance criteria.
Aron and his fiancee Callan Fowler, 20 , whom he met at the funeral of his fallen comrade Thomas Wright, were disgusted at the benefits decision which would mean Aron losing his only form of transport.
"It's like a slap in the face," said Aron.
"I can't describe how I felt when I got the letter and realised they would be taking my car off me.
"I have lost a leg, is that not disabled enough? I would like to go to Number 10, show them my prosthetic limb, and ask them face-to-face whether I am disabled or not."
The letter states that because Aron does not need assistance in a series of tasks such as cooking and washing and is able to walk 400 metres unaided, he is no longer entitled to the disability benefit, which currently pays for his Vauxhall Astra car.
Aron said that even though he can walk unaided, if he goes too far he is left in pain for the whole of the next day.
"I really need the car to give me something like a normal life," he said.
"If I want to enjoy a walk along the beach, I can drive there first – I'm not able to walk to the seafront from my house.
"If they take the car off me I'll be stuck in the house all day. I won't be able to pop round to my mum's or visit my friends."
Another concern for Aron is that he needs continuing treatment at a rehabilitation centre in Leeds and the 130-mile round trip would be made virtually impossible without his car as he struggles with the steps involved with public transport travel.
Since speaking to the Free Press first last week, Aron has gone on to be interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live as well as for numerous national newspapers and news channels.
He admitted he had 'no idea' that the issue would receive so much attention.
"It's been hectic to say the least," he said. "I certainly didn't expect it at all, but it's good because it's made me realise that there are others out there in the same position and all this attention might change things for us."
Fiancee Callan added: "We all know that there's people out there who sit around all day, never work in their lives and claim as much benefit as they can.
"Aron has lost a limb for this country, he's worked so hard to get himself walking again and this is how they treat him.
"If he'd just given up and sat around all day he'd be raking in the benefits right now, but he's always pushed himself and been completely honest about his abilities."
Callan said that she would give her own car to Aron and cycle to work if he lost his vehicle benefit, but added: "We shouldn't have to make compromises like this.
"Has Aron not lost enough already?"
A spokeswoman for the DWP said that they cannot comment on individual cases but said that the Government is making changes to the way it assesses eligibility to Disability Living Allowance.
Aron has appealed against the initial decision and his application has now been fast-tracked.
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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