A mother-of-four claimed £100,000 in benefits saying she was unable to work because she is allergic¹ to shoes.

 

Tracy Kenny, 45, a former baker², says she had to give up working 24 years ago after developing a skin condition that made it impossible for her to wear shoes.

 

She said severe dermatitis（皮炎） caused by all her footwear left her unable to hold down a job. But now inspectors³ at the Department for Work and Pensions have ruled she is fit for work and told her it will stop her £440 per month employment support benefits.

 

Mrs Kenny, who lost her appeal against the decision, said it was impossible for her to work as she suffers from an allergy⁴ to rubber, glue, nickel and metal that brings her out in blisters⁶（水疱）. 

 

She says she is so allergic to shoes she has to wander around barefoot, even during winter, and can only leave her house in Eccles, Salford, on a mobility⁷ scooter（电动代步车）.

 

She said: 'I don't know how these people expect me to go to work or go to job interviews with no shoes on – because that is what I would have to do.

 

'I can only wear shoes for ten or 15 minutes, before my feet blister⁵ and split. It stops me from doing everything. 'I'm allergic to any chemicals in shoes. The doctors even organised for a pair of clogs⁸ to be made in Switzerland for me.

 

'It took two years. They even cut down a tree especially and made me a shoe with no dyes in. Yet they still irritate me.

 

'Socks draw the glue in and slippers⁹ don't help. It's so unfair and stressful – I'm genuinely ill.'

 

Her life on benefits ended after she took a medical test and faced a tribunal from the DWP on October 2. 

 

Now she has been declared fit to work, though she will still be allowed to claim £200 a month in disability living allowance. 

 

She said: 'They're questioning my doctor's ability as a doctor. She sees me and knows me more than a ten-minute assessment¹⁰ does.' 

 

Mrs Kenny, who lives with scaffolder husband Steve, 49, and also has diabetes¹¹, said: 'It started when I contracted dermatitis when I was 18 or 19. 

 

'I was working at a baker's and suddenly my hands started coming up blistering¹². 

 

'I was referred to the skin hospital where I was told it was the detergents¹³ I was using in the baker's. I carried on working but it got worse and started to affect my face.' 

 

She gave up the job and began working in a shop but found she was allergic to dust. She then changed jobs again and worked in a warehouse¹⁴ packing leaflets in magazines but found that played havoc¹⁵ with her allergies¹⁶ as well.

 

Mrs Kenny said: 'I worked up until I was 21. Since then I haven't worked basically because things just got worse and worse.

 

'I had some more tests done. I'm allergic to nickel, I'm told not to touch keys, not to touch coins, not to use knives and forks.' 

 

She says her contact dermatitis causes a type of eczema leaving her skin red, itchy and scaly¹⁷. She shares her home with her husband and their children Jessica, 21, Aimee-lea, 19, and Lauren, 18. 

 

Son Josh, 22, was arriving back from Army duty in Afghanistan yesterday. They also have a dog Alfie and cat Bailey.

 

A spokesman for the DWP said decisions to remove benefits are only taken after careful assessment and consideration of medical evidence.

 

Margaret Cox, of the National Eczema Society, said: 'People don't understand just how awfully¹⁸ painful a severe eczema can be.'

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