Disabled army veteran denied benefits after accident left him paralysed

A British Army veteran who "served his country to the utmost" feels "shocked" and "deserted" after being denied disability benefits following an accident that left him paralysed. Mark Houghton, from West End in Hampshire, was left severely injured earlier this year, following an E-scooter crash in Dubai.

Mark, who received an MBE for his 20 years of service in the British Army, says he was ineligible for personal independence payment (PIP) when he returned from Dubai in March, where he had been working as a security contractor. His family crowd-funded to fly him home with a veteran returning to the UK a month after his accident, which made him tetraplegic. Initially hoping to receive support from the country he fought for, Mark quickly realised he would not receive any support from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Since returning home, the grandfather has been staying full time at Salisbury District Hospital, where he receives care.

Mark said: "I fought for this country. I've paid my taxes all my life. And now because I was abroad for 18 months I am made to suffer. I feel deserted, unwanted ... abandoned. It's devastating.

"After 20 years of service, after I was shot and nearly blown up [in war zones], well they told me this doesn't matter. It was like they told me: 'you've done all that for us? Well, we don't care. You're not getting PIP.'"

With no financial support from the state and unable to work, Mark and his wife have been forced to sell their Southampton home - a house which had belonged to the Houghton family for more than 100 years.

Lawrence Houghton, Mark's son, told ITV News Meridian that his father has been "cast aside by the British government".

"He has served his country to the utmost and in the time of his need, his country is not helping him", Lawrence added.

His local MP, Liz Jarvis, raised his case in the House of Commons earlier this month

The Liberal Democrat MP for Eastleigh said: "I'm calling on the government to look at these cases and maybe rethink whether it's fair that somebody who has served their country for over 20 years and has then decided to volunteer or work abroad, is then penalised for that.

"Even though he's been paying taxes in the UK all this time. It just seems completely wrong to me that he should have been treated so badly."