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You are here: Home / Archives for Dr Jay Watts

Dr Jay Watts

Citizens Advice signed gagging clause in return for share of £51m from DWP

By John Pring on 15th August 2019 Category: Benefits and Poverty

Citizens Advice signed gagging clause in return for share of £51m from DWP
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Two charities that will receive £51 million in government funding to provide advice and support to claimants of universal credit (UC) signed gagging clauses that prevent them bringing the Department for Work and Pensions “unfairly” into “disrepute”. Both Citizens Advice (CA) […]

‘Utterly disgraceful’ Public Health England refuses to warn councils of ESA suicide risk

By John Pring on 15th November 2018 Category: Benefits and Poverty

‘Utterly disgraceful’ Public Health England refuses to warn councils of ESA suicide risk
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The government’s public health agency has refused to warn local NHS and council bodies that claimants of out-of-work disability benefits are at a hugely-increased risk of attempting to take their own lives. Last week, Public Health England (PHE) published the latest […]

Suicide prevention minister could be ‘legally compromised’ over silence on ESA risk

By John Pring on 25th October 2018 Category: Politics

Suicide prevention minister could be ‘legally compromised’ over silence on ESA risk
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Disabled activists say the new “minister for suicide prevention” could leave herself “legally compromised” by her continuing failure to promise to warn local agencies that claimants of out-of-work disability benefits face a higher risk of taking their own lives. Jackie Doyle-Price […]

Letter calls on GP body to denounce DWP’s ‘fit for work coercion’

By John Pring on 26th April 2018 Category: Activism and Campaigning

Letter calls on GP body to denounce DWP’s ‘fit for work coercion’
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The national membership body for GPs is facing calls for it to denounce government attempts to persuade doctors to “coerce” patients with serious health conditions back into work. More than 90 campaigners and concerned health professionals have sent a joint letter […]

Improving Lives: Fears over strategy’s ‘unacceptable’ work and health links

By John Pring on 7th December 2017 Category: Employment

Improving Lives: Fears over strategy’s ‘unacceptable’ work and health links
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The government’s “cruel” and “unacceptable” emphasis on linking health and job outcomes in its new work, health and disability strategy will have a significant negative impact on people in mental distress, say campaigners and experts. The Department for Work and Pensions […]

Improving Lives: Ministers back down on ‘mandatory’ activity for ESA support group

By John Pring on 7th December 2017 Category: Employment

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Ministers have backed down – at least temporarily – from plans to force all sick and disabled people on out-of-work disability benefits to take part in compulsory work-related activity. There was an outcry among disabled campaigners last year when the government’s […]

‘Shocking’ NHS stats show nearly half ESA claimants have attempted suicide

By John Pring on 30th November 2017 Category: Benefits and Poverty

‘Shocking’ NHS stats show nearly half ESA claimants have attempted suicide
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“Shocking” NHS statistics have revealed that almost half of the people claiming the main out-of-work disability benefit in England have attempted suicide at some point in their life. The figures, showing rates of self-harm among claimants of employment and support allowance […]

Maximus ‘admits’ using brutal and dangerous suicide questions

By John Pring on 9th March 2017 Category: Benefits and Poverty

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 […]

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Image of front cover of The Department, showing a crinkled memo with the words 'Restricted - Policy. The Department. How a Violent Government Bureaucracy Killed Hundreds and Hid the Evidence. John Pring.' Next to the image is a red box with the following words in white: 'A very interesting book... a very important contribution to this whole debate' - Sir Stephen Timms, minister for social security and disability. plutobooks.com and the Pluto Press logo.

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