AN ANXIOUS mother is facing the prospect of her son’s disability living allowance being stopped - despite claiming he can barely walk.

Alison Wood, 47, of Tomswood Hill, Fairlop, is appealing against the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) decision to withdraw mobility allowance – worth £51.40 a week – for her son Bobby, who suffers from Down’s syndrome.

The Disability Living Allowance is paid to those not able to walk and claimers' circumstances are reviewed periodically.

The DWP believes that Bobby, 5, no longer needs the mobility car they have provided for him, even though he has to be pushed in a buggy to attend Fairlop Primary School.

Mrs Wood claims that the DWP wrote to the school for evidence on how mobile her child was, but said their reply did not mention that he must rest after walking for only a short time.

“I felt so much anger because at the end of the day there’s people who need this allowance a lot less than Bobby,” she said.

“He’s not going to get better in six months, a year’s time.

He’s got this for life and mobility will always be a part of that.”

Bobby attends Grange Farm for regular physio work and horse riding, which helps his balance, and wears special boots designed to help him walk more easily.

“Without the allowance I don’t know how we would get Bobby out of the house,” added his mother.

“We use the car everywhere, we wouldn’t reach his physio sessions without it.”

A DWP spokesman said: "If someone's needs change they may not have the same care and mobility needs and so may not be entitled to the benefit any longer."