benefit deaths

Benefits and Poverty

Esther McVey giving evidence to the social security committee

April 19, 2018 0

Mother of ESA suicide mum-of-nine praises activist for confronting McVey

The mother of a woman who killed herself after her disability benefits were sanctioned has praised a disabled activist who confronted work and pensions secretary Esther McVey about her daughter’s death as she gave evidence to Scottish MSPs this week. The activist, David*, had told Joy Dove of his plans to question McVey about

Benefits and Poverty

April 19, 2018 0

Mother of ESA suicide woman pledges to continue fight for justice

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The mother of a woman who killed herself after being wrongly found “fit for work” has pledged to continue her campaign for justice, and for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to admit it was to blame for her daughter’s death. The case of mother-of-nine Jodey Whiting, from Stockton, was highlighted this week

Benefits and Poverty

Long windows on the front of the Department of Health offices in Whitehall

December 14, 2017 0

Department of Health silence over failure to highlight ESA suicide risk

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The Department of Health (DH) has refused to say why it failed to warn NHS bodies and other local services that claimants of out-of-work disability benefits are at a hugely-increased risk of attempting to take their own lives. DH published the latest version of its national suicide prevention strategy in January this year. The

Benefits and Poverty

Hundreds of white flowers lying on grass

April 27, 2017

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Government admits failing to record actions after benefit suicide inquiries

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The government failed for more than three years to keep a record of what actions it took – if any – after carrying out secret reviews into the suicides of benefit claimants, Disability News Service (DNS) can reveal. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has admitted to the information commissioner that from February

Benefits and Poverty

March 16, 2017

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‘Fitness for work’ test has led to deterioration in mental health, say researchers

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Disabled activists have welcomed “timely” new research that concludes that the government’s “fitness for work” process has caused a deterioration in many people’s mental health which they have failed to recover from, and has even led to thoughts of suicide. The research, Mental Health And Unemployment In Scotland, was carried out by academics at

Benefits and Poverty

March 9, 2017

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Maximus ‘admits’ using brutal and dangerous suicide questions

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One of the outsourcing giants paid to assess disabled people for their eligibility for benefits appears to have admitted that it is standard practice – approved by the government – to ask claimants with mental health conditions why they failed to take their own lives. A leading clinical psychologist has warned this week that

Activism and Campaigning

Marie Rimmer talks to Roy Bard, surrounded by police officers, cameras and protesters

March 9, 2017

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Activists bring ‘no more benefit deaths’ message to Westminster

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Disabled activists have explained why they took to the streets around parliament to protest at the government’s latest cuts to disability benefits. The protest, organised by Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) and the Mental Health Resistance Network (MHRN), brought traffic to a standstill outside the Houses of Parliament on Tuesday, a day before the

Benefits and Poverty

March 2, 2017

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Information commissioner questions DWP’s ‘highly unusual’ failure on benefit deaths

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The information commissioner has questioned why the government failed to keep track of whether it had implemented recommendations on improving the safety of “vulnerable” disabled people that had been made in its own secret reports into benefit-related deaths. Elizabeth Denham said the failure of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to keep track

Benefits and Poverty

Jonathan Bartley smiling, in front of a tree

February 9, 2017

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Green Party calls on government to launch benefit deaths inquiry

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The Green Party has written to work and pensions secretary Damian Green to demand an independent inquiry into benefit claimants whose deaths have been linked to the failings of his department. The letter has been signed by the Green Party’s co-leader, Jonathan Bartley, its disability spokeswoman, Mags Lewis, and Linda Burnip, co-founder of Disabled

Benefits and Poverty

February 9, 2017

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Mother of ‘fit for work’ victim calls for ministers to face criminal charges

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The mother of a disabled man who starved to death after he was found “fit for work” and lost his out-of-work disability benefits has called for ministers to face criminal charges. Jill Gant says work and pensions ministers should be tried for misconduct in public office for failing to take action that could have

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