DWP stops woman's Universal Credit after she suffers stroke on holiday in Spain, say family
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The family of a woman who suffered a tragic stroke have said the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) halted her Universal Credit payment while she was hospitalised abroad. The 34-year-old from Macclesfield had informed the DWP of her trip to Spain to see her parents, in accordance with the rules.
Tragically, Robyn suffered a stroke that left her partially paralysed and blind in one eye on September 10, just before she was set to return to the UK. During her emergency treatment in Spain, her family discovered that her GHIC card failed to cover essential rehabilitation surgeries, effectively stranding her.
Now she faces a long recovery and an expensive return journey. Robyn's stepdad Anthony said: "We're just blindsided, just completely blindsided. Your world turns upside down and everything stops.". In an interview with the Manchester Evening News, he recounted the toll the crisis has taken: "You become physically and mentally exhausted. It just consumes you like it would everybody. You just have to remain positive and just keep going.".
The family is now rallying together to fund an ambulance journey for Robyn back to Britain because she's too sick to fly, ensuring she receives the necessary care such as physiotherapy and speech therapy. Robyn, who was hospitalised abroad, faced financial turmoil after her benefits were halted due to the extended stay outside the UK.
Anthony said: "Because Robyn was in between jobs she was receiving Universal Credit. She said before she came, I need to make a phone call, you're allowed to be out of the country for a month before it affects it. She did that and they said that's fine.
