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Original poster

Man refused benefits dies of starvation

235 replies

2old2beamum · 01/03/2014 15:25

A 44 year od man with mental health issues, aspergers and OCD deemed capable of work has benefits reduced to £40/week dies and has a BMI of just over 11. I weep with shame.

OP posts:
AuntieStella · 01/03/2014 16:09

It happened in 2013 (not 2014. splitting hairs, I know) but as the benefit cut was 4 months before his death, I suspect there is much more to this - for you do not remain alive and lost the 6 stone or so from healthy weight in that number of weeks.

I wonder how long he had been unable to look after himself, and why that went unnoticed?

AllThatGlistens · 01/03/2014 16:10

Two of my children have disabilities, one severely so, the eldest is more likely to function semi independently with a lot of support.

But situations like this are why I'm so constantly fucking terrified about my DH and I dying.

It truly is the stuff of my nightmares, that things like this will happen to my boys when I'm gone and there's no one to care for them Sad

Custardo · 01/03/2014 16:14

yesterday an apology was issues after a woman in a coma was told to find work

there used to be a website called calums list but the vitriol towards people on benefits inc. disabled was so horrid, they had to close it down

ParsingFancy · 01/03/2014 16:14

This bit's significant:

^Atos did not seek medical evidence from her brother's GP"

ATOS/DWP used to send out a form (IB113 and successors) to get medical evidence from GPs as a matter of course. Filling these forms is actually covered in GPs' contracts.

ATOS/DWP appear to have unofficially stopped sending the forms. In my experience, at least, and from what I read. And it looks like that's what's happened here.

Mark Wood's GP was clearly willing to provide medical evidence. But no one from ATOS or the DWP asked him for it. They left it to the sick, vulnerable person to do the running around with paperwork, and - surprise - he wasn't able to do it.

Win-win-win for DWP: they don't have to pay the GP, they get sick person off ESA, if they lose at appeal they claim it's because new medical evidence has been presented (ie, any at all).

Custardo · 01/03/2014 16:16

welfaretales.wordpress.com/category/suicide very sad news stories collated here lots of suicides and deaths due to welfare reform

Goblinchild · 01/03/2014 16:16

'I wonder how long he had been unable to look after himself, and why that went unnoticed?'

Because no one was looking. He wasn't a problem.
Just like abused children and neglected elderly and anorexic girls and those with serious MH issues.
If you can hide the fact that you are not coping, no one will find out.
If you don't know where to go or how to access help, then you will not be flagged up to anyone.
If you hide in your room silently, you can die and no one will notice.
If your system is run by computers and people focused on the meeting of financial objectives, no one will think 'Hang on, how the fuck can he live on £40 a week?'
If he'd been violent and disruptive and aggressive, beaten people to rob them, stolen food from shops, then he'd have been locked up with accommodation, food and support given. But he wasn't.

ApocalypticBlackHorseman · 01/03/2014 16:17

It's disgusting, and not the only case either. I know somebody who is on a very low salary who are not able to feed themselves enough and are therefore losing weight, they need to use a food bank but aren't entitled to do so. Thankfully they have family providing support and people at their church are dropping off meals as well.

ApocalypticBlackHorseman · 01/03/2014 16:19

Not only that Goblinchild but also the fact that so many people don't give a damn as long as they are alright.

ParsingFancy · 01/03/2014 16:20

Thing is, he clearly did go somewhere to access help. He applied for ESA and was getting Housing Benefit.

He didn't manage to access help to deal with the failure of first lot of people who were supposed to help him.

This isn't someone the system didn't know about. This is someone the system deliberately rejected.

Goblinchild · 01/03/2014 16:20

Good that you posted here instead of in SN, 2old.
Educate and inform those who haven't got a clue and aren't aware. Rather than those who have children potentially facing this future.

Tiredemma · 01/03/2014 16:21

Depressing.

Its like something from a bloody Dickens novel.

Original poster
2old2beamum · 01/03/2014 16:26

Thanks Goblinchild I am not just a mum with disabled children I have a social conscience as well. Sometimes wonder if it is worth it Sad

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Misspixietrix · 01/03/2014 16:33

Very very (sadly not suprising) news. :( GP letter wouldn't have made much of a difference either way as a DWP Decision maker/Atos HCP still rule over it anyway. You only have to look at the poor bloke who had the aaudacity to have a heart attack at his assessment and still been found fit for work. I don't care how early Atos pull out of this contract. They are entirely complicit in this whole sorry mess Angry. Also to the PP who mentioned loss of weight in short time scale. I'm betting it's more than possible and even if not circumstances would have surely accelerated weight loss.

Goblinchild · 01/03/2014 16:33

'Sometimes wonder if it is worth it'

Depends if the need to be human is important to you.
I have a social conscience because I would find it unimaginable to cope without one.
How can you see someone hurting and not respond? It's at the core of being sentient and a human being for me.

Darkesteyes · 01/03/2014 16:48

Ive seen this in my Twitter feed. Am appalled and disgusted that human beings are being treated like this.
I remember an experiment that was done several years ago. It was found that a person can survive for up to 2 months with no food just drinking water.
This mans death was slow and painful.

This IS social cleansing. As a society we have learnt NOTHING from history.

Original poster
2old2beamum · 01/03/2014 16:52

But does any one listen!!
Like you I do have a social conscience (Thanks Dad) but am losing "friends" at the rate of knots who are well off and think people bring it on themselves Angry
Am sure I am better off without them but am feeling a bit isolated.

OP posts:
BumpyGrindy · 01/03/2014 16:53

He had ASD and an aversion to food...just to clarify that he didn't actually starve to death because he was poor alone...not that this makes this any less horrifying. He had no support....poor man.

HermioneWeasley · 01/03/2014 16:56

I'm not sure it's possible to make sure nobody ever falls through the cracks. Where were his family? The article doesn't say they were caring for him, advocating for him or supporting him in any way. But they are critical now that a complex system failed to stop his decline.

It is very sad, but I'm not convinced it's linked to the cut in benefits. The article even says he developed an eating disorder years ago.

Kendodd · 01/03/2014 16:57

This seems more of a failing of the health service and social services than the benefits agency to me. They should have been looking after this man better.

Maryz · 01/03/2014 16:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

insancerre · 01/03/2014 16:59

so sad
this government, in a very short time has managed to make many people belive that all people claining benefits are cheats and scum
when many people do have a need to be claiing benefits
the poor, the sick, the disabled and the vulnerable are being blamed for their situations
I hate this government with a vengeance
they make out that socialism is a dirty word

Stockhausen · 01/03/2014 16:59

I agree there's more behind his death, his bmi was 14 before his benefits stopped?

This was a catalogue of neglect (much of it self imposed, albeit due to mental health issues) and a case of someone falling through the cracks.

His family imho have a bit of a cheek being outraged??

BumpyGrindy · 01/03/2014 17:01

Whoever was in charge of his care...should be taken to court. Who was responsible for him?? My brother hasn't got special needs but is vulnerable...we keep an eye on him...did this man have no family in addition to no support from social services??

aufaniae · 01/03/2014 17:01

If this was a family member of mine I'd want to take action against the government and Atos to hold them responsible for his death. Also IDS personally, and the head of Atos.

Darkesteyes · 01/03/2014 17:02

2old I hear you..... my parents are nearly 80 and beleive all the propaganda thats on the tv and in 99% of the papers. My dad even came out with the Tebbit quote "they should get on their bikes and look for work"

Yet during the 80s they called Thatcher all sorts of names every time she came on TV.

So it seems to me that ppl with a social conscience are dying out. Or being brainwashed. Which is EXACTLY what propaganda started to do in 1933 Germany.

And i also think that the celebrity/reality tv culture is a nice little distraction for ppl who are easily fooled. Whenever i try to explain whats going on some ppl usually state that ppl arent trying hard enough followed by "Has Simon Cowells baby been born yet? Ppls priorities are seriously fucked up.