Patrick Lynch

Patrick Lynch


A disabled man has launched a court case against ATOS after he was wrongly found fit for work under the government’s disability assessment scheme.

Patrick Lynch, a former social care worker was forced to quit his job because of a brain condition which needed surgery.

He is suing both the government and ATOS over the benefits test, after being wrongly assessed and claimed that his interview was not recorded, despite assurances from ministers that it would be taped.

During the examination, it was alleged that Mr Lynch had “no abnormalities or tenderness to the neck or spine” despite the extensive surgical operations he had recently undergone.
His medical history was also not taken into account.

Many activists and charities have urged the government to review the current scheme, which they say is “not fit for purpose” with 40 per cent of claims being turned down.

They refer to cases where claimants have committed suicide after which the coroner has revealed that a denial of benefits has contributed significantly to the person’s death.

One such person is Paul Willcoxson, 33 from Northants, who had a history of mental health problems.

He left behind a suicide note expressing his fears over the Government’s cuts before hanging himself.

This new court case launched by Mr Lynch is one of the first lawsuits against the DWP assessment. He is seeking a judicial review of the controversial policy.

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