Coroner rules DWP cutting of benefits caused disabled woman's suicide

[IwantToRetire]

... The court heard how “shocked and distressed” Jodey was at the DWP’s letter informing her that her benefits would be stopped. Jodey was told that this was due to her missing a medical assessment, part of a Work Capability Assessment (WCA), which she had not been aware of due to her not opening the first letter. Initially Joy had assured Jodey that they would easily be able to sort it out once they explained her situation but a couple of weeks later Jodey received a further letter confirming the DWP’s decision. Jodey attempted to seek help via the Citizens' Advice Bureau and Joy made numerous attempts to contact the DWP to resolve the matter for Jodey who became increasingly distressed as time went on.

The court heard that Jodey had lived with physical and mental health difficulties throughout her life. This includes a curvature of the spine which began to cause serious back pain in her early 20s and resulted in numerous operations. She was also diagnosed with an inoperable perineural cyst in 2016 which caused her significant pain.

Joy told the court that in the last few months of her life Jodey’s mental and physical health has deteriorated, she rarely left the house and was unable to walk more than a few steps at a time.

The court heard that it was devastating for Jodey to read that the DWP had deemed her ‘fit for work’ when this was clearly not possible for her. It had left her feeling humiliated and ashamed that she would not be able to pay her rent or bills. Jodey was clearly very distressed by the DWP’s decision and told her mother she felt completely hopeless. ...

https://www.leighday.co.uk/news/news/2025-news/coroner-finds-stopping-benefits-triggered-the-death-of-jodey-whiting-following-second-inquest/

Interview with her mother https://www.channel4.com/news/mother-fears-benefit-cuts-will-lead-to-more-deaths-like-her-daughters

Is there the possibility of a Corporate Manslaughter type of charge? Evil bastards

This is going to get even worse in the not too distant future. PIP will be more difficult to qualify for and the number of face to face assessments are going to increase.

What a sad situation. The incompetence that was present here, is so disturbing.

Sadly, she isn’t the first disabled person killed by DWP’s incompetence and won’t be the last. We have no moral high ground for human rights as a country due to how we treat our most vulnerable.

That poor woman. If the proposed PIP changes go ahead there are going to be many more suicides.

Unfortunately not just the DWP, but councils providing housing etc., fail to ensure that staff are fully engaged with their work and clients, and instill in them that their decisions are or could be life or death.

But in most instances staff doing this work just see it as a tick box exercise. Just the easiest option, and some how the ability to not think they are dealing with a real person.

And as we know can happen in the NHS.

You would like to think that those responsible for managing the service provided by the DWP would make staff include this is all assessments.

Let alone doing them on time.

Makes you wonder what the office culture is like in departments like this.

Unbelievable that the DWP would act so quickly just because of one missed appointment
Lets hope this case and others bring about a review and changes to the policies I assume they are adhering to

Even people already receiving PIP are going to be affected if the proposed changes go ahead. I'm sure you're aware of the new points system where you will have to have at least 4 points in one assessment criteria in the daily living component.
Millions will be affected and I honestly don't know how the government will deal with the fallout from this.

Particularly when the sickness element of Universal credit will be removed if PIP is removed.
The fact that people already have enough (or more than required) points, but just don't have them concentrated in one criteria is ridiculous. Not scoring enough points is one thing., but saying that you've scored far more than the 8 points minimum required but this year we've decided they need to be distributed differently is another. The gov really need to do a U-turn on this

I thought the only reason for going into politics was to have power without responsibility ?

You'll put people off otherwise.

When you try to phone any of the benefits departments, PIP, ESA etc you have to hold on for ages to get to speak to someone. I'm a full time carer and DWP Appointee for dh, so I can make the calls for him, last week I held on for 55 minutes before finally being put through to someone at ESA. Then the person on the other end of the phone couldn't have sounded more bored, it was as if she couldn't wait to end the call, she hardly said a word, I kept having to ask for more information, luckily I'd written down everything I wanted to ask beforehand or she'd have got me flustered. I don't know how people like dh cope who don't have someone like me to speak on their behalf. If the PIP descriptor changes do go through, dh will eventually lose his PIP award (he always gets 11 points and never gets 4 awarded in any one section) and then I will no longer be eligible for carers allowance. It's terrifying.

What also worries me is that people who lose PIP may be affected by the benefit cap, or may lose some Council Tax support or non-dependant deductions may start to be taken. Obviously all of this depends on an individual’s circumstances, but some people will be affected I more ways than is immediately apparent.

We will not only lose PIP but also carers allowance, full council tax support, possibly ESA and the benefits of the Watersure scheme run by our utilities provider. I have been dhs full time carer for the past 5 years and we have, perhaps stupidly, just accepted his PIP award of 11 points each time as we've been frightened of the appeals process and just grateful to get awarded any PIP for the doors it opened. I will now have to find a full time job to support us and put dh in the full time care of the local council. Luckily, we've had a social care assessment carried out and he's been assessed as needing full time care, the council have, until now, only had to fund respite care for me but the burden of his full time care will now fall on the local council which will cost the government far more than my measly carers allowance. I feel so sorry for the poor lady who committed suicide, she must have been so worried. Dh and I worry constantly about what the future holds for us and I can imagine many others feel the same.

When you try to phone any of the benefits departments, PIP, ESA etc you have to hold on for ages to get to speak to someone.

30 hours in the last 2 weeks.

One of the problems is that I think if not all, but many of these services have now been farmed out to private companies. https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/haas-health-assessment-advisory-service-has-taken-over-pip-and-wca-assessments

And would never claim Government employees are always perfect, but when you have private companies who will be looking at the profit margin, the inevitable under staffing, staff on zero hours contracts, staff not properly trained, and probably only doing the job because they were pushed into it by themselves being told they were going to lose there unemplyment benefits. (Similar to care work.)

When of all Government jobs you need people who are properly trained, and made aware of just how significant their decisions can be on someone's life.

Where I live when Blair was PM he insisted that the local Housing Benefit assessment service was given to a private company (run by someone who may or may not have been a close friend).

In the resulting chaos many who had a valid claim for HB went in arreats because they couldn't even run the payment system, let alone asess new claims. There were some really terrible stories of the impact on people's lives, including one woman who ended up losing her flat and having to accept a "sex for rent" accommodation.

Why do all UK Governments keep on making these basic mistakes?

I suppose because it is the people with least power or a voice in society so easy to make them the pay the price of other people's mistakes and indifference.

I'd like to add that the site linked above is excellent and has very useful guides that help anyone claiming UC, PIP and other benefits. They explain exactly what to write in assessments or appeals. It's not about cheating the system, more that answering questions in a certain way or using certain words can be the difference in having your claim accepted or rejected.

It is well worth the £19.95 yearly subscription and there's often a 20% discount code. I'm not in any way affiliated with them but I know their guides have helped many (myself included) when going through assessments and/or the appeals process.

https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/guides-for-claimants#pip-claims

https://www.bigissue.com/news/social-justice/access-to-work-disability-dwp-jess-thom/

It is shameful and that poor woman must have felt completely desperate. I'm sorry to say these government agencies do not see claimants as human beings. There is no humanity.