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Scottish Sun
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
One-legged amputee cricketer loses benefits after being filmed playing ‘because he's not disabled enough'
Shaun lost his right leg in a tractor accident when he was two BATTY DECISION One-legged amputee cricketer loses benefits after being filmed playing 'because he's not disabled enough' A ONE-legged amputee cricketer says he has lost his disability benefits after being filmed playing for his local club. Shaun Rigby, 37, said the Department for Work and Pensions claimed it showed he 'wasn't disabled enough'. 5 One-legged amputee cricketer Shaun Rigby had his disability benefits stopped by the Department for Work and Pensions Credit: SWNS 5 Shaun was filmed playing for his local club Allscott Heath in Shropshire Credit: SWNS 5 Shaun regularly played for the club with the aid of a runner — taking extra medication to cope with pain Credit: SWNS The sheet metal worker, who lost his right leg in a tractor accident when he was two, has played cricket since the age of seven and has represented England's disabled team. He regularly played for Allscott Heath in Shropshire with the aid of a runner — taking extra medication to cope with pain. But he came under investigation by the DWP — leading to his Personal Independence Payment benefits he has received since 2016 being axed and his mobility car being withdrawn. Shaun said: 'I play cricket — it doesn't mean my leg has suddenly grown back.' The dad of four, of Telford, Shrops, added: 'They are basically saying I am mobile enough and accusing me of lying on the application. 'But when I ticked I couldn't walk without being in pain, I wasn't lying, I just carry on through the pain.' He has 30 days to appeal and is now £500 worse off a month. Shaun added: 'It is so unfair just because I play cricket. " Are disabled people not allowed to take part in sport? "Everyone's telling me to appeal but it has all taken so much out of me, I don't think I can face it.' Disability benefit explained - what you can claim The DWP declined to comment on the ongoing investigation. 5 Shaun lost his right leg in a tractor accident when he was two Credit: SWNS 5 Shaun said: 'I play cricket — it doesn't mean my leg has suddenly grown back' Credit: SWNS Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club.
The Sun
24-06-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
One-legged amputee cricketer loses benefits after being filmed playing ‘because he's not disabled enough'
A ONE-legged amputee cricketer says he has lost his disability benefits after being filmed playing for his local club. Shaun Rigby, 37, said the Department for Work and Pensions claimed it showed he 'wasn't disabled enough'. 5 5 The sheet metal worker, who lost his right leg in a tractor accident when he was two, has played cricket since the age of seven and has represented England's disabled team. He regularly played for Allscott Heath in Shropshire with the aid of a runner — taking extra medication to cope with pain. But he came under investigation by the DWP — leading to his Personal Independence Payment benefits he has received since 2016 being axed and his mobility car being withdrawn. Shaun said: 'I play cricket — it doesn't mean my leg has suddenly grown back.' The dad of four, of Telford, Shrops, added: 'They are basically saying I am mobile enough and accusing me of lying on the application. 'But when I ticked I couldn't walk without being in pain, I wasn't lying, I just carry on through the pain.' He has 30 days to appeal and is now £500 worse off a month. Shaun added: 'It is so unfair just because I play cricket. " Are disabled people not allowed to take part in sport? "Everyone's telling me to appeal but it has all taken so much out of me, I don't think I can face it.' Disability benefit explained - what you can claim The DWP declined to comment on the ongoing investigation. 5
The Irish Sun
24-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
One-legged amputee cricketer loses benefits after being filmed playing ‘because he's not disabled enough'
A ONE-legged amputee cricketer says he has lost his disability benefits after being filmed playing for his local club. Shaun Rigby, 37, said the Department for Work and Pensions claimed it showed he 'wasn't disabled enough'. Advertisement 5 One-legged amputee cricketer Shaun Rigby had his disability benefits stopped by the Department for Work and Pensions Credit: SWNS 5 Shaun was filmed playing for his local club Allscott Heath in Shropshire Credit: SWNS 5 Shaun regularly played for the club with the aid of a runner — taking extra medication to cope with pain Credit: SWNS The sheet metal worker, who lost his right leg in a tractor accident when he was two, has played cricket since the age of seven and has represented England's disabled team. He regularly played for Allscott Heath in But he came under investigation by the DWP — leading to his Personal Independence Payment benefits he has received since 2016 being axed and his mobility car being withdrawn. Shaun said: 'I play cricket — it doesn't mean my leg has suddenly grown back.' Advertisement The dad of four, of Telford, Shrops, added: 'They are basically saying I am mobile enough and accusing me of lying on the application. 'But when I ticked I couldn't walk without being in pain, I wasn't lying, I just carry on through the pain.' He has 30 days to appeal and is now £500 worse off a month. Shaun added: 'It is so unfair just because I play cricket. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Breaking Latest " Are disabled people not allowed to take part in sport? "Everyone's telling me to appeal but it has all taken so much out of me, I don't think I can face it.' Disability benefit explained - what you can claim The DWP declined to comment on the ongoing investigation. 5 Shaun lost his right leg in a tractor accident when he was two Credit: SWNS Advertisement 5 Shaun said: 'I play cricket — it doesn't mean my leg has suddenly grown back' Credit: SWNS Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club.
Daily Mirror
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
One-legged ex-England cricketer 'stripped of benefits' when DWP sees him batting
Shaun Rigby, a former member of the England disabled team, says his PIP payments were stopped after an undercover DWP team filmed him playing for his local club in Shropshire A one-legged amputee cricketer claims he lost his disability benefits after DWP investigators filmed him playing for his local club. Shaun Rigby, 37, lost his leg below the knee in a horror tractor accident when he was just two. He took up cricket five years later and went on to become a member of the England disabled team. Shaun still plays twice a week for Allscott Heath CC in Shropshire with the help of a runner and an umpire holding his crutch. But unbeknown to the married dad-of-four, he was secretly being watched by DWP investigators after they launched a probe into his disability claim. They followed him for weeks and filmed him batting - before using the undercover footage as evidence he 'wasn't disabled enough'. The government has now stopped his Personal Independence Payment (PIP) benefits and taken away his mobility car. Shaun, who had been in receipt of PIP since 2016 due to his disability, says he was told he was 'never eligible for the benefit'. In a letter last week, the DWP said it would be attempting to claw back the cash he has received. The full-time sheet metal worker says he has been made to feel like a benefits cheat. Shaun, from Telford, Shrops, fumed: 'I play cricket - it doesn't mean my leg has suddenly grown back. I was reviewed in 2016 via a home visit. The assessor said 'What am I doing here? Your leg will never grow back. You will get this for life'. 'I've worked since I left school and played cricket since I was seven but the things I can do now are a lot less than 15 to 20 years ago as I've deteriorated quite a lot. 'I am on co-codamol, amitriptyline and naproxen prescribed from my GP which I take moderately day-to-day to help ease the pain and get me through work. 'On a cricket day I take more medication in the morning to help me through the day and make the pain more tolerable. I am still in pain but felt that some sort of activity and interaction with friends was good for my own wellbeing. 'I played for the social side of things. My attitude to life is to try doing things I enjoy whilst I still can. But they have said I should not have any of it because I play cricket; they have footage of me playing. Just because I play cricket doesn't mean my leg has grown back. I still need help getting around. 'They are basically saying I am mobile enough and accusing me of lying on the application. But when I ticked I couldn't walk without being in pain, I wasn't lying, I just carry on through the pain. I don't want to be one of these people who just sits around doing nothing - so I play on through the pain as best as I can.' Shaun has been given 30 days to appeal and is now around £500 worse off every month after losing daily living and mobility allowance. His take-home pay is around £2,100 a month - £25,200 a year. He is still awaiting a letter from the DWP to confirm what he owes them. But he believes it will be £40,000-£50,000 based on what he received over that time period. The exact figure is unknown because he was in receipt of different levels of daily living and mobility over those years. Those rates have also changed since 2016. Paul had basic daily living allowance between 2016 and last August. He had the lower rate mobility allowance between 2019 and 2021 and then the higher rate mobility from 2023 onwards. The DWP said it could not comment on an ongoing investigation but said people are able to appeal.
Daily Mail
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
One-legged amputee has his benefit payments slashed after officials catch him playing cricket - despite help from a runner and umpire holding his crutch
A one-legged amputee has claimed he lost his disability benefits after Government investigators allegedly filmed him playing cricket for his local club. Shaun Rigby, 37, said he was told by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) that officials had covertly tailed him for weeks as part of a probe into his disability claim. The married father-of-four was filmed batting for his local team - with the undercover footage then presented as evidence he 'wasn't disabled enough'. The Government has now stopped his personal independence payment (PIP) benefits and taken away a car he leased to help with his mobility. But Mr Rigby, who once represented England's disabled cricket team, said he can only play for Allscott Heath Cricket Club in Shropshire with the help of a runner and an umpire holding his crutch. 'I play cricket - it doesn't mean my leg has suddenly grown back,' he said. 'Are disabled people not allowed to take part in sport?' Mr Rigby took up the sport as a seven-year-old boy and refused to let his disability get in the way after losing his leg below the knee in a horror tractor accident aged just two. He works full-time as a sheet metal worker and has been in receipt of PIP since 2016 due to his disability, as well as a Motability car three years ago to help him get around after suffering further knee pain. Despite his physical ailments, he was able to represent England's physical disability cricket team between 2012 and 2014, even flying to Dubai with them on tour. He also represented the Shropshire's county disability cricket team, something he said he made 'no secret of'. But Mr Rigby received a letter from the DWP on June 16 which informed him he was 'never eligible for the benefit' and the Government is now attempting to claw back the money. He has been given 30 days to appeal and is now around £500 worse off every month after losing daily living and mobility allowance. Mr Rigby, of Telford, Shrops, said he is outraged and has been made to feel like he is a benefits cheat. 'I was reviewed in 2016 via a home visit, during which the assessor said 'what am I doing here? Your leg will never grow back. You will get this for life',' he said. 'I am on co-codamol, amitriptyline and naproxen prescribed from my GP which I take moderately day-to-day to help ease the pain, and get me through work. 'On a cricket day I take more medication in the morning to help me through the day and make the pain more tolerable. 'I am still in pain but felt that some sort of activity and interaction with friends was good for my own wellbeing. 'On bad days I play cricket with a runner when batting and in the field, I'd be in positions where moving was limited and, if needed, the umpire would hold the crutch for me.' He said that officials told him he was not entitled to any benefits because they had footage of him playing cricket - despite the fact he still needs help getting around. 'I'm at a loose end now. Everyone's telling me to appeal but it has all taken so much out of me, I don't think I can face it,' he said. 'I was already made to feel a criminal when I was told I had to be interviewed under caution at the Jobcentre. 'When I got there they informed me their surveillance teams had been following me around for three weeks and filming me play cricket. 'They are basically saying I am mobile enough and accusing me of lying on the application.' He said he had ticked a box on his application which said he couldn't walk without pain, but he insisted he wasn't lying - he just tries to 'carry on through the pain'. 'They have judged me on 1 per cent of the time when I make an effort to get out, they don't see the other 99 per cent of me struggling at home,' he said. 'I don't know how they can justify this.' The DWP said it could not comment on an ongoing investigation.
