A terminally ill father was ordered by the Department for Work and Pensions to attend a benefits appointment in person while he was in hospital receiving oxygen, with warnings his payments could be affected if he failed to show up.
A Desperate Fight Against Bureaucracy
Marek Marzec, a 48-year-old father of three, was attempting to claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) after receiving a terminal diagnosis of silicosis, an incurable lung disease caused by exposure to dust at work. As his health rapidly deteriorated, his lawyers spent months urging the DWP to expedite his claim.
Despite being under palliative care and reliant on oxygen in hospital, Mr Marzec received a letter from the DWP. It stated that if he did not attend an in-person appointment without providing a "good reason", his "entitlement to IIDB may be affected". His legal team had repeatedly informed the department of his critical condition and hospitalisation.
Payments Confirmed Just Before Death
Ewan Tant, the lawyer representing Marek Marzec, described the case as showing in the starkest terms how DWP processes are failing silicosis patients. "Despite repeated notifications to the DWP that Marek was in hospital, on oxygen, and under palliative care, he was still asked to attend an in‑person assessment," he stated.
His benefit payments were only confirmed weeks before his death, with the final lump sum authorised on the very day he passed away. Mr Tant emphasised: "No one should have to fight through bureaucracy whilst fighting for their life."
DWP Launches Urgent Review
Following the report by the I paper, the DWP has announced it will conduct an "urgent review" into the handling of Mr Marzec's case. A department spokesperson said: "We offer our sincere condolences to Marek Marzec’s friends and family. We are conducting an urgent review of this case to understand what happened."
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit is available to those who become ill or disabled due to a work-related accident or disease. The amount paid depends on an assessment of disability on a scale from 1% to 100%, with a minimum threshold of 14% disability normally required to qualify.
