Marjorie's "life changing" benefits investigation by BBC Radio Stoke

Jul 03, 2014, 04:31 PM

A disabled woman called BBC Radio Stoke in tears. She told us she had contemplated suicide because of the stress of waiting for a decision from the Department of Work and Pensions about her benefit payments. We investigated what was going on and a few hours later I was sat on her sofa telling her some good news, "life changing" she said. This is how we brought you the story on BBC Radio Stoke....

A WOMAN from Burslem's has been awarded backdated disability benefits following an investigation by BBC Radio Stoke.

57-year-old Marjorie Thompson had been waiting for the personal independence payment since a botched hip operation last year left her housebound.

It follows claims from the Stoke-on-Trent North MP that thousands of disabled people are surviving without benefit payments for as long as six months.

The Department of Work and Pensions says its working to reduce the assessment time for benefits. You can here more from Marjorie after 7 this morning.