The parents of a woman left brain damaged by killer nurse Beverley Allitt have said they will not repay £23,000 in benefits the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) claims were overpaid.
Kayley Asher, 25, was attacked by Allitt while being treated at Grantham Hospital as a baby. She received £11,500 compensation when she turned 18, but the DWP says she failed to declare this payout when applying for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), a means-tested benefit.
Her parents, Alan and Sharon, said they used the ESA and a disability allowance for Kayley's day-to-day care. 'We have never hidden the fact that Kayley had this money,' Mr Asher said. 'We always believed that compensation was for her future.'
The DWP said it is essential that claimants declare their income and savings accurately to ensure support is targeted appropriately. The Ashers have vowed to appeal and are prepared to go to prison rather than repay the money.
