A homeless York man said attackers who mugged him for his benefits have left him destitute with no hope of financial support for seven days.

Wayne Robinson, 39, who has been living on the streets in York for eight years, said Social Services had refused to give him a crisis loan to tide him over.

The qualified joiner and father of an eight-year-old boy said his weekly benefits of £80 were stolen by a group of up to ten men who attacked him in The Groves.

He said the men punched and kicked him, breaking three of his teeth and leaving him bruised and bleeding, before pushing him over a wall and stealing his benefit money, just hours after he collected it.

Mr Robinson, a former drugs user who suffers depression, septicaemia and hepatitis, said he does not know how he can face a week with no money for food or shelter. He said just three weeks ago his rucksack containing all his clothing and bedding was snatched from the Castle car park toilets while he was getting washed.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Work and Pensions said individuals could only apply for one "crisis loan" every 14 months and Mr Robinson had already done so.

She said: "Crisis loans can only be given once in any 14-month period to replace lost or stolen money. This really is there because if it wasn't some people would be in and out taking advantage of it."

Community PC Howard Smelt-Webb, who covers the Guildhall ward, said officers were investigating an assault on Mr Robinson on Friday at about 1.30am and had several witnesses. A spokesperson for City of York Council said emergency financial aid was available for cases like Mr Robinson's, but workers at the customer help desk in George Hudson Street would need to examine his personal circumstances first. Anyone who witnessed the attack, close to The Reindeer Inn, Penleys Grove Street, on Friday can contact York Police on 01904 631321.

Updated: 10:54 Monday, June 30, 2003