Benefit Cuts Caused Disabled Yorkshire Man Nicholas Barker To Take His Life, Rules Coroner

[ttosca]

A man took his own life after worrying about how he would survive after his benefits were stopped, a coroner has said.

Nicholas Barker, a former farm labourer from Yorkshire, was already paralysed down the left side of his body after a brain haemorrhage more than a decade before.

He was found dead in his garden with a shotgun at his feet on December 10 last year, the

The 51-year-old had been due to attend an appeal hearing a week later against a decision to stop his benefits, his ex-wife told the inquest.

Linda Barker said: ?He was going for a drink and seemed happy but he wanted me to help him go through his benefit papers because he was worried that he was going to be sent back to work.

?I told him not to worry as he wasn?t able to work and I said I would come and see him.?

Mr Barker's doctor submitted a note saying he had spoken with the 51-year-old who had been worried after the assessment ruled he did not qualify for certain benefits.

He died from his head injuries, according to coroner Michael Oakley who added: ?The main factor worrying him was that his benefits had been stopped and had he attended the appeal he may have been successful, but it did not get that far,? he said. ?It is evident that the matter was concerning him greatly.?

In December Ian Lavery, MP for Wansbeck, called on the Prime Minister do more for disabled people after receiving a suicide note in the post from a man who had taken his own life after finding out he was no longer entitled to employment and support allowance and disability benefits.

"Across the UK there are over 1,000 people who have died only months after being told to find work," he told the Commons, adding that he did not want to name the man in question because he wished to respect his family's privacy.

"This is 2012. We are supposed to be a civilised society. We should be looking after the disabled citizens."


Commenting on the death of Nicholas Barker, Mr Lavery told the Huffington Post UK: "This unfortunate case is not uncommon. The frightening reality is we will never know how many individuals have and will resort to this most drastic action.

"These people can not see any way forward at all, they live to exist, without luxury, often choosing between eating and heating. What type of civilised nation would allow sick and disabled people to feel that insecure that they choose to end their life. It's so sad it's gut-wrenching politics. It is a class issue."

Scotland's Evening Times reported earlier in March that thousands of people have inundated Glasgow's Citizen's Advice Bureau seeking help over government benefit changes, with many telling staff and volunteers they were contemplating suicide.

If you've been affected by the issues in this article, please call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90.

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/04/20/benefits_disabled-man-nicholas-barker-welfare-reform_n_3121688.html?utm_hp_ref=tw

[BurnBabyBurn]

Must be someone else, ssd.

I rarely use this name, but NC because there are people here who know me in RL. They know my situation, but they don't know how I feel about it. Always the fighter, head down and carry on, is what they see.

[Maggysinge]

Thing is all the moaning, scaremongering and general hysteria on here will not change a thing. People are going to have to get used to it because it isn't going to change. I've been at rock bottom but I pulled myself together and now after years of hard work I'm comfortable. No moaning no blaming everyone but myself because at the end of the day it won't ever get you anywhere other than bleating on here.

[crazynanna]

I've been at rock bottom but I pulled myself together and now after years of hard work I'm comfortable

Yes..but did/do you have a brain injury and paralysed down one side of your body?

[twofingerstoGideon]

I cannot take seriously anyone who uses the words 'hysteria', 'scaremongering' 'rock bottom' and 'bleating' in an attempt to make some sort of point. It's all a bit too DM for me.

[TheHumancatapult]

maggy sorry i cant pull my spinal cord together trust me many professionals looking for ways but not found it yet.you better tell them quick just need pull self together

[BurnBabyBurn]

Maggy, can you please explain how your statement "If you are fit and able to work then you should no?" pertains to a paralysed man with a brain injury?

Next, can you explain how your references to scaremongering and hysteria pertain to a man who had actually had his benefit stopped?

Thanks, love.

[TheChaoGoesMu]

I've been at rock bottom but I pulled myself together and now after years of hard work I'm comfortable

do you think you could manage that with a paralysis down one side of your body? Or perhaps you do have that? Do you? If so, do enlighten me upon how you managed to pull yourself together. Just so you can pass your wise words to any other useless fecker out there who obviously isn't as motivated and super as you

[infamouspoo]

awww thanks Maggie, when ds teaches 18 I'll tell him to mend his damaged brain (totally paralysed with no speech) and stop scrounging. He could be a draft excluder or something.

[JakeBullet]

Oh it's MaggySinge with her "bile of the day"

Do yourself a favour love and stop swallowing the Daily Mail for breakfast because it makes you sound like a professional troll.

Speaking of which......

[Deadhamsterssmell]

I haven't read the whole thread as it has made me so upset and cross.

I knew this man and he was a hard working person. Believe me some of his depression was caused by not being able to work...

[Darkesteyes]

Its about fucking time that disabilism was taken as seriously as racism

#EverydayAbleism

[ttosca]

The problem is that lies and misinformation is being propagated by the Coalition in order to beef up support for their social security cuts. It's really not surprising that some people come out with ignorant and hateful statements about the disabled and unemployed.

[LadyBeagleEyes]

I read Maggy's posts a bit like this as i don't want to believe there are really people in the world that think like this.
But then thinking about it, she thinks like our government thinks.
How sick has our society become?

[TheChaoGoesMu]

Maggys only joined mn to troll, judging by previous threads. She/he/it is a bit of a turd really.

[LadyBeagleEyes]

Then she is a sad, sad fucker.

[JakeBullet]

I have asked MN to look at the poster in question. Very suspicious tbh, a sad fucker indeed.

[WinkyWinkola]

Maggy's clearly not very bright. Not sure how she manages in the survival of the fittest!

[Ledkr]

maggie firstly just to say what an utter prick you sound.
Secondly I was wondering if you had a few tips for my son to enable him to pull himself together as he has 8% kidney function and is awaiting a transplant?
He gave up work a month ago after weeks of pushing himself to keep going.
He actually cried on the phone to me "I just can't do it anymore mum"
He now has under 30 pounds a week to live on,to include buying food for a special diet.
So fuck off with your patronising.

[JakeBullet]

Maggie may of course be genuine and just deeply unpleasant. You can be horrible and not a troll. There are people like that....or he might just get off on being inflammatory online and hiding behind a computer screen.

[Dolallytats]

Wow, certain people on this thread seem to have no idea. If that's their view on a 'plain to see' disability, I would hate to know their view on disabling mental health issues.

I have a husband who works, so I don't claim anything, but if I didn't have DH I would have no choice. I am agoraphobic (to the point where the 7 min walk to my son's school is a struggle and I am currently sitting here trying to pluck up the courage to walk 3 mins to the shop for the papers), but you can't see that because I chat to people when they see me, I laugh and joke and I take the mickey out of inability to get out of the house like a 'normal' person.

I have also cried all the way to school because I feel so awful, cried at the school, had a parent walk me home because I just froze, had a TA bring my son home because I couldn't (she is also a friend), wished that I hadn't woken up on numerous occasions, cried because I have felt so guilty and useless, missed school assemblies because I just couldn't get there......oh, I could go on and on.

Compassion doesn't cost, but it means such a lot. Of course there are people that don't really need the help and are playing the system, but don't underestimate how awful it feels to be in the position where you really do need the help and it is being taken away.

Tragic for those people it is happening to and tragic that some people have their heads stuffed too far up their backsides to see what is happening...

[OliviaMumsnet]

Morning all - hope it is as sunny with you as it is here.
Just a a reminder of our guidelines
Thanks awfully.

[StorFetHamster]

Has Maggy swallowed the Daily Mail?

And about the man. My cousin was made severely disabled following an accident, (spinal cord injury, brain injury and amputation of arm). I know she'd give ANYTHING to be able to work and feel useful and necessary again, but she can't. And then people like Maggy don't make it much better.

[Ledkr]

Maybe maggie has choked on her own excrement which can happen when you head is up your arse.
Yep sunny here too.

[JakeBullet]

There are not many people that black and white in real life hence my suspicion about this particular poster. I am not saying she/he is a troll but you can be sure that they are not this black and white in real life.
The posts made seem designed to inflame or upset others so can only think they are being made deliberately so from the safety of "hiding behind the computer screen". I sincerely doubt this person would say such things to a room full of people who might well lynch him or her.