A disabled young woman has been left with no benefits after bureaucrats mistook her for an immigrant.

Holly Taylor is British-born, with a British passport, but had lived in the Netherlands for 14 years.

The 24-year-old stroke victim has had a year-long battle to get disability benefits.

Here nationality was wrongly categorised in a red tap foul-up and another blunder, officials tried to telephone her even though she can no longer speak.

Her mother, Samantha Taylor, 49, of Mary Road, Deal, said: “It has been a complete joke and a nightmare.

“An official told me my daughter had been unsuccessful in her application. The reason for this was because of immigration law.

“The DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) think my daughter is an immigrant.”

While abroad, in February 2012, Holly suffered an AVM, (arteriovenous malformationcorr) on her brain, which is a cluster of blood vessels tangled together.

She had life-saving surgery but continued to have seizures.

Last July, living back in England, she suffered a bleed in her brain.

Neurosurgery saved her life but she suffered a major stroke on her right side and lost her speech.

Ms Taylor had to give up her job to take care of Holly’s children, Sophie and Charley, while Holly was confined to hospital for months and needed round-the-clock care when she was discharged.

Last August Ms Taylor contacted the DWP to apply for disability allowance for Holly, at first phoning officials for an application form.

Despite constant chasing over the phone the form never came.

She eventually found that she had been given the wrong National Insurance number.

Ms Taylor said: “They had issued her with an immigrant’s NI number.”

She said she had two face to face interviews with the DWP where she was able to make completely clear that she was British.

Then she was told that Holly had not received a form because officials could not get in touch over the phone.

Ms Taylor said: “A male employee said the contact telephone number they had was either not answering or answering and saying nothing.

“Several times I explained that they were phoning my daughter’s number who had a massive stroke and could not speak. I had given my number and others to contact.”

The family now has a letter from the DWP saying Holly is not eligible for any disability benefit.

Holly needs a wheelchair permanently and she and her children, Ms Taylor and Holly’s grandmother Jackie Collister, 72, are crammed together in a three-bedroomed house.

Miss Taylor said: “I cannot claim anything for caring for my daughter as she cannot get any disability allowance.

“I cannot begin to tell you how we are struggling.

“I am now completely desperate as Holly has been discharged from hospital and is now on a folding bed in a handkerchief-sized living room.

“We have been left devastated by Holly’s tragic illness and have next to no support.”

Holly and Samantha Taylor have become bogged down with the bureaucracy of their situation.

Despite telling the authorities that Holly is British born and bred, both were asked if they needed interpreters.

And another letter for Holly discussed her “immigration” status.

Miss Taylor received a letter from the DWP last October for an interview over Holly’s claim.
The same day another went to Holly from Jobcentre Plus in Canterbury for an interview over National Insurance.

Both said: “If you require an interpreter please let us know and one will be provided.”

Public officials often provide interpreters when needed but this was despite the women’s obviously English names.

Another letter from the DWP from last July, to Holly, refused her Personal Independence Payment. It said: “You have to meet conditions about where you live, being present in GB and your immigration status.

“We’ve decided you don’t meet all of these conditions and can’t be entitled to Personal Independence Payment.”

Samantha Taylor and her children had moved to the town of Heemskerk, north of Amsterdam, in 2001 when Holly was nine.

Holly formed a relationship when she grew up and her children Sophie, now 18 months, and Charley, now three, were born in the Netherlands.

The family returned to England last June with Holly separated from her partner.

A spokesman for the DWP said this week: "Decisions on eligibility for Personal Independence Payment are made after consideration of all the evidence, including an assessment and information provided by the claim and and their GP."