Claimant Speaks Out After Redruth JobCentre Computer Row

A MAN whose behaviour resulted in ambulance and police officers being called to Redruth Job Centre has claimed that the government’s failure to pay him job seekers allowance has left him starving.

Last Wednesday police were alerted to an incident at the job centre where a man became aggressive at staff in the building.

The man, 59-year-old former lorry driver Phillip Heath, says his frustrations were born out of the fact that he was told by staff that he had to use a computer to claim job seekers allowance.

“I’ve spoken to the Redruth job centre several times and each time I was told that to claim job seekers allowance I have to have the internet and an email address.

“As far as I’m concerned you might as well go and throw a computer in Stithians Dam as I have no interest whatsoever in learning to use one.

“They aren’t listening to me, all I hear is computer, computer, computer and I haven’t been paid since September 4. I can fix a car and am a very hands-on guy, but don’t even know how to turn on a computer.

“I’ve barely had anything to eat for 12 days. If a person has a pet they get prosecuted if they don’t look after it but the government are starving me and doing nothing about it.

“Redruth Job Centre has nothing in writing saying that I have to use a computer.”

Mr Heath was originally signed off sick following a heart attack 12 months ago, but despite a note from his doctor saying that he shouldn’t be allowed back to work, a Department of Work and Pensions medical assessment declared him fit to work and as a result made him to turn to applying for job seekers allowance to get by.

During the fracas at the job centre Mr Heath was spoken to by police and then tended to by the ambulance service when he complained of chest pains before being taken home.

A Police spokesman said: “A man became aggressive in Redruth Job Centre, at around 12.30 on Wednesday September 30.

“Both police and ambulance attended due to concerns over his health.

“Paramedics gave him the once over, but there was no need for him to go hospital so police took the man back home and gave him some words of advice.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Work and Pensions has said that there are advisors at the job centre to help with the online side of job seekers applications and that the matter is now one for the police to deal with.