Evict your partner

BENEFITS advisers told a Littlehampton woman suffering from post-natal depression she would receive enough money to live on only if she threw the father of her two children out of their home.

Patricia Reardon, 26, is extremely worried about how she will provide for her daughters Lauren, two, and three-month-old Imogen ,as the family has received no money for more than four weeks.

Her partner of six years, Trevor, who is currently signed off work, sees no reason why he should have to move out of the family home in order to provide their children with food and clothing.

By the time her income support was stopped at the end of October, Patricia was taking anti-depressants for post-natal depression and made a claim for incapacity benefit, which was refused.

When she phoned the benefits office to explain about her illness and to find out how she could make ends meet, she said she was simply told to go out and get a job.

She was also told she would be entitled to income support only if she was a single parent and not living with Trevor.

Trevor said: "Surely it is better for the children if both parents are living under the same roof."

Meanwhile, Trevor is in the process of claiming incapacity benefit as he broke his leg six weeks ago and is still waiting to hear whether or not he will receive any payment.

He has also been told his claim would be more succesful if he were living on his own.

Patricia has been told she can apply for a crisis loan of 19, which would have to be paid back, but she would have to travel to Bognor to claim it and has no transport.

The couple had worked all their lives until Trevor sustained a serious shoulder injury while working as a builder.

He carried on working, but was forced to stop as the injury was made much worse.

Meanwhile, Patricia carried on working as a healthcare assistant at Burrell House in Bayford Road to support Trevor and Lauren until she took maternity leave in June.

It was during this time that she lost her job, leaving her with no maternity pay.

For the full story, see the Gazette, November 29.