DWP ordered to pay £50,000 compensation to deaf man over mistreatment

A "profoundly deaf" man who was sanctioned by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and repeatedly refused a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter, has been awarded almost £50,000 in compensation after living through "an Orwellian ‘1984’ scenario".

In 2017, Paul Rimmer went to a meeting with his Work Coach in a Leeds Jobcentre, as part of his Jobseekers Allowance requirements, where he was provided with a poorly-trained interpreter and ended up being sanctioned. After complaining, Mr Rimmer struggled to get any help finding work, or another interpreter, for six years - but it emerged in the Employment Tribunal that this was a "reprisal" for making a complaint.

An email sent from a Disability Employment Adviser (DEA), a role that supports disabled people to find work, after Mr Rimmer requested intensive support into employment, told the Jobcentre that he needed to be treated "firmly" with directions and sanctions. He was refused the extra help with his disability after the DEA, who had never met him, heard about his complaints that no one would provide him with an interpreter.

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In his witness statement to the tribunal, Mr Rimmer said: “I do feel that the Job Centre and the DWP have not wanted to help me because it is too difficult and too expensive for them. I also feel that most DWP staff do not understand the difficulties facing me as a profoundly deaf person.”

The judge, ruling that Mr Rimmer should receive the upper award of £49,880 for his treatment, said of the email: "It was also conduct which deterred legitimate complaint from a vulnerable person… this is the sort of email or conduct which anyone in receipt of services from a job centre would fear, that if job coaches or others are challenged, there will be reprisals."

During the pandemic, Mr Rimmer requested a video conference with a BSL interpreter, which were widely available, but none were provided.

Mr Rimmer's compensation was based on three awards for damages. £33,000 for injury to feelings, incorporating aggravated damages of £5,000; £10,000 exemplary damages for the "Orwellian" email sent about him; and £6,880 by way of interest for the six years he was failed.

The ruling comes after the government set out its new benefits crackdown focusing on getting people off disability benefits and back into the workforce. This could involve removing Personal Independence Payments and providing support for disabled people to take up work - something which Mr Rimmer repeatedly asked for and did not get.

John Horan, barrister at Cloisters Chambers, said: “In light of the Prime Minister’s recent comments that all disabled jobseekers should find a job within a year, this should be a wake-up call to ministers responsible for the Jobseeker’s programme.

"In an Orwellian ‘1984’ scenario, a Disability Employment Advisor, who should be there to assist disabled claimants, has been shown to have been actively targeting disabled people and attempting to block access to assistance programmes and even to the benefit itself, because the claimant had raised legitimate complaints.”

Nick Whittingham, Chief Executive at Kirklees Citizens Advice and Law Centre who supported the claim, said: “This case shines a light on the way that disabled benefits claimants are treated by the DWP, and is particularly important in light of current political rhetoric.

"The indications are that failings are systemic and that provision for supporting deaf and other disabled people is limited both by funding constraints and by an institutional failure to understand, or even attempt to understand, their needs.”

A DWP spokesperson said: “We are considering this judgment. We are committed to providing accessible services to ensure customers who need extra assistance can access our help.”