Letter: Remember that not all of those on benefits are 'workshy shirkers' or 'swinging the lead'

In 2006, I could have been part of 'sicknote Britain' currently being seemingly targeted by our Prime Minister, according to newspapers.

At 53, I had to finish work due to disability. In February 2003, aged 50, I woke up one morning and literally couldn't see out of my left eye. I didn't feel safe to drive so my husband drove me to work. Whilst at work I rang my surgery and got an emergency appointment.

Whilst at work the next morning, my GP rang me. She'd got me an appointment for that afternoon at the eye clinic at Chesterfield Royal Hospital.

I was examined by two doctors and diagnosed with a detached retina. They referred me to the eye clinic at Sheffield's Royal Hallamshire Hospital.

This was a Friday so I had to go to Sheffield the following week and take an overnight bag as I'd be staying in for surgery.

In the eye clinic, I saw a nurse who did the eye chart test, eye pressure test, etc and then a consultant. After examining me, he then brought in another consultant.

I was then asked if I'd heard of glaucoma. I said yes. The next day I was to have surgery under general anaesthetic to repair the detached retina and laser surgery too. However they didn't think the vision would return. They were right. It didn't.

The pressure in my eyes was so high I had to take two tablets three times a day and use five different lots of eye drops twice a day.I should have been discharged later that day but due to the high pressure in my eyes, wasn't discharged until the Saturday afternoon.

I had to go to the eye clinic for months, was off work for three months and was never allowed to drive again.

Despite the surgery, tablets and eye drops, my sight deteriorated so rapidly that in October 2004 I was registered as blind. I managed to carry on working (with my husband driving me to and fro every day) but eventually had to finish in June 2006.

I had an interview with the DWP but couldn't claim any benefits as my husband was already claiming benefits. He was 56 and, three years previously, the factory where he worked had closed down in Brampton and relocated 30 miles away.

The only income I had was lower rate Disability Living Allowance and we literally had to count every penny. We really struggled financially over those years.

I would much rather have been working and feeling useful again, bringing a wage in rather than being stuck at home every day, but what work could I have done anyway?

I'm now 71, on a pension and receive PIP, and also have mobility problems too.

So, Prime Minister, not all of those on benefits are 'workshy shirkers' or 'swinging the lead'.

Please don't demonise us or tar us all with the same brush.

Jane Smith

Walton