The grieving mother of a Lampeter cancer victim has spoken of her anguish after her son spent his last six months waiting for benefit payments – forcing them to borrow money for food and bills.

Geoff Oke, a talented painter and illustrator from Lampeter with Stage 4 peritoneal cancer, received backdated Personal Independence Payments just four days before he died on 5 October.

His mother, Jill, says errors by companies employed by the Department of Work and Pensions to conduct PIP benefit assessments, and the Government’s ‘draconian’ definition of terminal illness, led to the ‘cruel and unnecessary’ wait.

A former pupil of Ysgol Gyfun Aberaeron school, Mr Oke, 40, had sought payments for extra living and transport costs.

While awaiting his benefit payments, Mr Oke lived on £80 per week in Employment Support Allowance.

His mother, who had given up her job to care for her dying son, was receiving £70 per week in Universal Credit having been told she could not put in an application for Carer’s Allowance until he was in receipt of his PIP.

Mrs Oke, 64, says they had to borrow money to buy food and pay bills, and were lent an old car for transport.

“Geoff was scared to go out because he was worried the car would break down,” she said.

“If it wasn’t for the kindness of friends and family we would have had to use the food bank.”

A DWP spokesman said: “Our thoughts are with Mr Oke’s family at this tragic time. We are extremely sorry his PIP was delayed and have apologised to his mother.”

See this week’s South Ceredigion paper for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition now