BENEFITS bosses have apologised to a severely disabled Ansdell man whose benefits suddenly stopped when his partner died -- leaving him penniless for five months.

Alastair Taylor, of Clifton Gardens, Ansdell, says he's been living off overdrafts and loans since his income support and disability living allowance benefits were stopped in January -- without clear explanation -- after the death of his partner, Jean Holmes.

"I haven't had a penny since January. I am overdrawn at the bank. I owe my solicitor £1000. Even the window cleaner won't come any more because I can't pay him. Even my wheelchair is borrowed. It's a scandal," Alastair told The Citizen.

"They kept saying 'it'll be there tomorrow' but it never is. My lawyer has written and phoned and we just get fobbed off. Nobody's interested, they're just passing the buck.

"It's no good benefit sitting on a desk somewhere, I want it in my pocket."

A former taxi driver, Alastair is confined to a wheelchair because of the muscle wasting condition ataxia. He also has epilepsy.

Alastair says he's never been in debt -- until now. "I worked every day until I couldn't," he said.

A spokesman for the Department of Work and Pensions -- which oversees Alastair's benefits -- apologised to Alastair on the department's behalf.

He was unable to comment on when Alastair's benefits might be restarted. "We cannot comment on individual cases," he explained.

But he added: "The Department for Work and Pensions tries to process all claims to benefit as quickly as possible. However, this is dependent on customers supplying all relevant information as quickly as possible.

"There are occasions where the department does not meet the required level of customer service and we would like to sincerely apologise to Mr Taylor for any inconvenience and distress that has been caused to him by any error made by the department."