To think there will be more cases like this one? Errol Graham, starved to death.

[BillHadersNewWife]

www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-51283186

Mr. Graham had his benefits stopped and despite having genuine problems was left alone to starve.

www.disabilitynewsservice.com/the-death-of-errol-graham-man-starved-to-death-after-dwp-wrongly-stopped-his-benefits/?fbclid=IwAR2eRG_-He70F0dQ9tlHzysRvoLijGdROWhM94pn58cmDPclIxTJgVwEwwg

It's absolutely sickening and worrying.

[DontPetTheSweatyStuff]

There will be many more cases like this with a government that couldn't give a toss about the poor and disabled. It is sickening and worrying, although I was strangely not surprised or shocked.

[Clymene]

Starved to death by one of the wealthiest countries in the world.

[Willow2017]

Sadly not the first and wont be the last.
No government in past 10yrs gives a toss.

[DesLynamsMoustache]

Bloody awful Poor man

[Shadyshadow]

The benefits part is shocking.

But given his mental health, how has he slipped through the care net. No adult social services. So much for care in the community.

[PerkingFaintly]

There already have been more cases. David Clapson died in 2013.

The DWP stopped my brother’s benefits payments. It was a death sentence
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/benefits-sanction-resulted-in-my-brother-david-clapson-s-death-says-gill-thompson-as-she-pleads-for-a6911386.html

[HeIenaDove]

It was well known this was going on Errol isnt the first. And people still voted for this to continue.

[Bunnybigears]

Where was his family? He had a daughter in law so presumably he had a son. There should be systems in place so vulnerable people do not end up in situations like this and yes there will be some people with no family at all but that is not the case here. When did people stop looking after each other and just expect the government to do it for them?

[PerkingFaintly]

Although to be fair, the actual cause of Clapson's death was diabetic ketoacidosis. No food in his stomach, no electricity for fridge to store insulin, £3.44 in his bank account.

If you're unwell, it's very easy to reach a point of no return quite quickly. If you're unwell also really easy to fall foul of the benefits system, which has been changed to be a deliberately difficult "steeplechase" to trip people up.

[Blearyeyes20]

I’m not here to debate the flaws of the benefit system but surely as such a vulnerable person he should have had family looking out for him? I know some people don’t have family but after seeing quotes from his DIL, I’m wondering where she was when all this was going on? Poor man.

[PerkingFaintly]

When did people stop looking after each other and just expect the government to do it for them?

When they got on their bikes and moved for work?

Can't have it both ways – people relocating AND people always staying near family.

[ssd]

Awful. And yet England still voted tory in the poorest places. Idiots.

[Bunnybigears]

When they got on their bikes and moved for work?

Can't have it both ways – people relocating AND people always staying near family.

It's not mutually exclusive though I dont live near my parents but still regularly check on their welfare and they dont have a history of mental health problems.

[SnugStars]

* When they got on their bikes and moved for work?*

Or moved to be able to afford rent.

[Ylvamoon]

Where was his Son in all of his? He should have been there for him, assisting with Dr appointments and benefits system.
But yes it is worrying for all the people out there who don't have close relatives to look out for them.

[HeIenaDove]

@PerkingFaintly I was just about to say the same thing. You beat me to it. I bet if you AS the posters who come out with this you will find they are also the same posters who say that people have no right to stay in the same town they grew up in if they cant afford it and should move.

[Bunnybigears]

HeIenaDove Then you bet wrong because I was the poster who said this and I cannot afford to live in the village I grew up in due to the amount of people buying second homes there for astronomical prices. I live 390 miles away from my parents but still regularly check on their welfare. People ha e to take a certain amount of responsibility for themselves and if they are vulnerable then that extends to their family. Yes the government is failing people left right and centre but in some cases their family are failing then as well.

[DaphneduM]

The despicableTories have done a good job of decimating all public services and bringing in punitive benefit cuts during the last Parliament. They now have the opportunity to go even further, thanks to the people who voted for them. Terrible when we're such a wealthy country.

[SerenDippitty]

Neil Kinnock was right.

[HeIenaDove]

Fair enough but there is a lot of hypocrisy and goalpost moving on here when it comes to this kind of subject.

[AlunWynsKnee]

How do you check on their welfare @Bunnybigears?

[HeIenaDove]

his son could be on a zero hours contract and too scared to take time off for all you know.

[TildaKauskumholm]

Dreadful, but yes, where was the son and daughter in law during this? Seems this poor man was abandoned by them but now they come out of the woodwork to make a statement after the event.

[PiggyPokkyFool]

Where was his family in all of this? I moved for work and my parents live in another country but I speak with them every day. When DM was ill I went, when DF was ill they stayed with us for 6 weeks, when they need assistance I/We give it.
This is a tragic case but family, knowing his vulnerability, should have advocated for him too.

[PerkingFaintly]

they dont have a history of mental health problems.

If they had, you'd be more aware of the fact that it's not uncommon for people with mental illness to avoid contact, not answer phone calls, not answer the door (if you can get there in person).

From the article he sounds really quite unwell. He may well have been hard to get hold of, hard to make sense of, not particularly trusting, not able negotiate the benefits system, not wanted to try to tap family for money if they were not well off, or were frightening to him. And so on and so forth.

People with mental illness can be incredibly vulnerable and simultaneously incredibly hard work for those attempting to engage with them.