A PETERSFIELD man with a life threatening condition says he may have to turn to the town’s food bank after learning on the last working day before Christmas his main disability benefit was to be stopped.

Marcus Newton, 64, of Barham Road suffers with learning difficulties, deafness, skin problems, and bronchiectasis, which can have life threatening complications.

The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) acknowledges his medical conditions are genuine, but on Friday, December 23, he got a letter saying his last incapacity benefit payment would be on January 11.

Mr Newton said: “It wasn’t a very nice Christmas present, the timing couldn’t have been worse, why tell me two days before Christmas when I can’t talk to anyone till the New Year.

“It looks like I will have to live on the food bank until it’s sorted out as I am struggling.

“I shouldn’t have this at my age, it’s very confusing, I don’t understand the paperwork, and I expect it will take ages to sort out exactly what I should get.”

His incapacity benefit was stopped after a DWP review found that his medically recognised issues didn’t meet new criteria; he was also told he wasn’t eligible for a new benefit, Employment and Support allowance.

The decision may also affect payments such as housing benefit, Mr Newton was also told that he only “may be able to get Jobseekers Allowance.”

As well as applying for Jobseekers Allowance, there is hope that his pension may get topped up to cover some of the shortfall, but due to the festive break this hasn’t been dealt with yet.

Mr Newton, a member of Petersfield Salvation Army who fundraises for the Red Cross and is also a Poppy Appeal street collector, says he isn’t sure what his next step will be.

He said: “When I went to the Jobcentre on Tuesday (January 5) I was told I needed to go to the Citizens Advice Bureau to try and sort this out.”

And he says amidst all the worry, his only festive highlight was the free Christmas dinner for those on their own arranged by the Petersfield Area Churches Together group.

He said: “It was a lovely meal, and a lovely afternoon, we even got to watch the Queens speech, I can’t thank them enough.”