A Maryport man says he has been driven to desperation by a system that he feels is determined to force him back into work.

Dennis Brown is recovering from cancer of the jaw and tongue. He underwent surgery in January and still requires invasive monthly tests and has difficulty eating as well as suffering pain.

The 64-year-old also has a prosthetic leg after an amputation nine years ago due to debilitating arthritis; has had two heart attacks – the first when he was in his 30s – and has recently had three mini strokes.

Because of a fall during one of these strokes he has a large scar on his head.

Yet since his cancer treatment, Mr Brown has had four letters from the Personal Independent Payment (PIP) department for Works and Pensions telling him he must report for an assessment.

If he fails, he will lose his PIP, along with the mobility car that is his lifeline. He is also afraid he will lose an electric wheelchair for which he is now being assessed.

Allerdale Disability Association has been making submissions on Mr Brown’s behalf, but the Government department has said he must report to Carlisle for an assessment.

Before being diagnosed with cancer, he was turned down by PIP on two occasions, but won the payment back on appeal.

“It is obvious that I am in worse condition than I was then,” he said. “I am being so

stressed out by all this. I know of people who have been driven to thoughts of suicide and I know how they feel.”

He said he was scandalised last year when his automatic car was taken off him. “They took my car and gave me £2,000 for taxi fares. I appealed, got my car back and was given £1,500 payback for money I had lost. I offered it back, but they wouldn’t take it. It is a scandal.”

He said he felt hounded by the PIP department.

“They can see that I have won previous appeals straight away but that doesn’t matter to them – and my situation has certainly not got any better.”

He said individuals are given a number. The lower the number, the less disabled they are judged to be.

“I once got a zero – which would make it unlikely I even had an amputated limb.”

Mr Brown, who formerly worked in the building industry, was volunteering for the RSPB before his cancer and before the first time his car was taken away.

“I could do that because it is just sitting in my car or sitting in an office observing birds. I loved it.”

A spokeswoman from the Department of Works and Pensions said: “We introduced PIP to replace the outdated Disability Living Allowance system. PIP takes a wider look at the way an individual’s health condition or disability impacts them daily and is tailored to suit everyone’s needs.

“Assessments are important to ensure that people get the support they’re entitled to and are carried out by qualified Healthcare Professionals. Under PIP 30 per cent of people get the highest rate of support, compared to 15 per cent under DLA.”