A young Plymouth man who lost both legs after contracting meningitis has been left caught up in the benefits system despite living with profound and permanent disabilities.
Archie Barton is a wheelchair user. He has no legs, is severely visually impaired and lost both little fingers and part of another finger, while other fingers are fused together. He also has epilepsy.
His family say the problems began in August 2025, when Archie was receiving benefits through Working Tax Credit.
The following month, with help from Improving Lives Plymouth, an application for Universal Credit was made in Archie’s name. The claim was declined and a mandatory reconsideration was requested.
On March 28, 2026, that decision was reversed.
Archie subsequently received a back payment in June and now receives Universal Credit. However, his family say the issue surrounding his limited capability remains unresolved.
Archie’s dad, Murray, has also praised Labour Councillor Jon Dingle for the support he has given the family.
Murray said Jon knew Archie through a youth club Archie attended and had been extremely helpful as the problems with his benefits developed.
“I didn’t even realise Jon was a councillor at first,” Murray said. “I found that out later. He’s just been really supportive and has done everything he can to try to help Archie with this.”
Councillor Dingle has continued trying to help Archie with his case as the family waits for the outstanding Universal Credit issue to be resolved.
It means that more than a year after the process began, a young man living with significant lifelong disabilities is still waiting for the matter to be fully settled.
There is little ambiguity about the challenges Archie faces every day. His disabilities are profound and permanent, yet his family have still had to navigate applications, a rejected claim, reconsideration and further waiting.
For Archie and his family, the question is a straightforward one: why should somebody with Archie’s level of disability have to go through such a lengthy process simply to establish the support he is entitled to?
Photographs © Wayne Perry / Plymouth Post