The increasing death toll due to the loss of benefits
The following article is set to appear as an update to the latest petition on Change.org by This Writer, Maggie Zolobajluk and Gill Thompson, for the government to implement the recommendations put to it, ensuring that no benefit claimants are left unable to support themselves due to withdrawal of payments, and that a broad, independent review of the system should be enacted.
In support of the petition, Maggie has written the following:
The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) published guidance to job centre officials who decide whether claimants should have their payments stopped.
The guidance says: “It would be usual for a normal healthy adult to suffer some deterioration in their health if they were without:
1. essential items such as food, clothing, heating and accommodation, or
2. sufficient money to buy essential items for a period of two weeks.
“The Decision Maker must decide if the health of the person with the medical condition would decline more than a normal healthy adult.”
As if it wouldn’t!
I have compiled a list of the deceased using the information here, here, here and here.
I fully agree with the assertion of Welfare Tales that these are the deaths that we know of because a friend, relative or the coroner has commented. Sadly, there are probably many more.
Many of our supporters have left distressing replies about their experiences on our petition.
If you feel able to share your experience please post them as comments; if you wish to remain anonymous please put a note on your comment and you will be anonymised.
Please let us know if:
- You have had a JSA or ESA sanction, or
- You have received a JSA sanction and/or you have been left without funds while awaiting a Mandatory Reconsideration decision.
Please also let us know why and how long you have been without funds and the effect on your health.
If you are feeling suicidal, please speak to your doctor and/or someone close to you. Or contact the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90.
The list Maggie compiled follows.
On a personal note, This Writer recalls recent attempts to claim that the vast majority of deaths were likely to happen anyway, due to the fact that (among other elements) the vast majority of the dead were aged over 50. Among the 72 people named on this list, 33 of those whose ages are known were younger than 50 when they died – nearly half the total.
Conor Cribbin, 25 years old. The student suffered from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and his medical card was stopped in the period leading up to his suicide. He had also learned just days prior that he had failed to secure a college grant. According to his father, Conor was in low spirits in the days beforehand. He added: “He couldn’t get his medication for his ADHD.”
Mark Cotton, 54 years old. Lost both his legs due to a medical condition. Died in an apparent suicide fewer than 48 hours after being told an allowance to pay his carer was being cut from nine hours a week to only three.
Terry McGarvey, 48 years old. Dangerously ill from polycytheamia, Terry asked for an ambulance to be called during his Work Capability Assessment. He knew that he wasn’t well enough to attend his WCA but feared that his benefits would be stopped if he did not.
He died the following day.
Elaine Lowe, 53 years old. Suffering from COPD and fearful of losing her benefits. In desperation, Elaine chose to commit suicide.
Mark Wood, 44 years old. Found fit for work by Atos, against his Doctors advice and assertions that he had complex mental health problems. Starved to death after benefits stopped, weighing only 5st 8lb when he died.
Paul Reekie, 48 years old, the Leith based Poet and Author. Suffered from severe depression. Committed suicide after DWP stopped his benefits due to an Atos ‘fit for work’ decision.
Leanne Chambers, 30 years old. Suffered depression for many years which took a turn for the worst when she was called in for a WCA. Leanne committed suicide soon after.
Karen Sherlock, 44 years old. Multiple health issues. Found fit for work by Atos and denied benefits. Fought a long battle to get placed into the support group of ESA. Karen died the following month of a heart attack.
Carl Payne, 42 years old. Fears of losing his lifeline benefits due to welfare reform led this Father of two to take his own life.
Tim Salter, 53 years old. Blind and suffering from Agoraphobia. Tim hanged himself after Atos found him fit for work and stopped his benefits.
Edward Jacques, 47 years old. years old and suffering from HIV and Hepatitis C. Edward had a history of severe depression and self-harm. He took a fatal overdose after Atos found him fit for work and stopped his benefits.
Linda Wootton, 49 years old. years old. A double heart and lung transplant patient. Died just nine days after the government found her fit for work, their refusal letter arriving as she lay desperately ill in her hospital bed.
Steven Cawthra, 55 years old. His benefits stopped by the DWP and with rising debts, he saw suicide as the only way out of a desperate situation
Elenore Tatton, 39 years old. Died just weeks after the government found her fit for work.
John Walker, 57 years old. saddled with debt because of the bedroom tax, John took his own life.
Brian McArdle, 57 years old. Suffered a fatal heart attack the day after his disability benefits were stopped.
Stephen Hill, 53 years old. Died of a heart attack one month after being found fit for work, even though he was waiting for major heart surgery.
Jacqueline Harris, 53 years old. A former Nurse who could hardly walk was found fit for work by Atos and her benefits withdrawn. in desperation, she took her own life.
David Barr, 28 years old. Suffering from severe mental difficulties. Threw himself from a bridge after being found fit for work by Atos and failing his appeal.
David Groves, 56 years old. Died of a heart attack the night before taking his work capability assessment. His widow claimed that it was the stress that killed him.
Nicholas Peter Barker, 51 years old. Shot himself after being told his benefits were being stopped. He was unable to work after a brain haemorrhage left him paralysed down one side.
Mark and Helen Mullins, 48 and 59 years old. Forced to live on £57.50 a week and make 12 mile trips each week to get free vegetables to make soup. Mark and Helen both committed suicide.
Richard Sanderson, 44 years old. Unable to find a job and with his housing benefit cut forcing him to move, but with nowhere to go. Richard committed suicide.
Martin Rust, 36 years old. A schizophrenic man who killed himself two months after the government found him fit to work.
Craig Monk, 43 years old. A vulnerable gentleman and a partial amputee who slipped so far into poverty that he hanged himself.
Colin Traynor, 29 years old and suffering from epilepsy was stripped of his benefits. He appealed. Five weeks after his death his family found he had won his appeal.
Elaine Christian, 57 years old. Worried about her work capability assessment, she was subsequently found at Holderness drain, drowned and with ten self inflicted wrist wounds.
Christelle Pardoe, 32 years old and Kayjah Pardoe 5 month old. Pregnant, her benefits stopped, Christelle, clutching her baby son jumped from a third floor balcony.
Mark Scott, 46 years old. His DLA and housing benefit stopped and sinking into deep depression, Mark died six weeks later.
Cecilia Burns, 51 years old. Found fit for work while undergoing treatment for breast cancer. She died just a few weeks after she won her appeal against the Atos decision.
Chris Cann, 57 years old. Found dead in his home just months after being told he had to undergo a medical assessment to prove he could not work.
Peter Hodgson, 49 years old. Called to JCP to see if he was suitable for volunteer work. Peter had suffered a stroke, a brain haemorrhage and had a fused leg. His appointment letter arrived a few days after he took his own life.
Paul Willcoxson, 33 years old. Suffered with mental health problems and worried about government cuts. Paul committed suicide by hanging himself.
Stephanie Bottrill, 53 years old. After paying £80 a month for bedroom tax, Stephanie could not afford heating in the winter, and lived on tinned custard. In desperation, she chose to walk in front of a lorry.
Larry Newman suffered from a degenerative lung condition, his weight dropping from 10 to 7 stone. Atos awarded him zero points, he died just three months after submitting his appeal.
Paul Turner, 52 years old. After suffering a heart attack, he was ordered to find a job in February. In April Paul died from ischaemic heart disease.
Christopher Charles Harkness, 39. After finding out that the funding for his care home was being withdrawn, this man who suffered with mental health issues, took his own life.
Sandra Louise Moon, 57 years old. Suffering from a degenerative back condition, depression and increasingly worried about losing her incapacity benefit. Sandra committed suicide by taking an overdose.
Lee Robinson, 39 years old. Took his own life after his housing benefit and council tax were taken away from him.
David Coupe, 57 years old. A Cancer sufferer found fit for work by Atos in 2012. David lost his sight, then his hearing, then his mobility, and then his life.
Michael McNicholas, 34 years old. Severely depressed and a recovering alcoholic. Michael committed suicide after being called in for a Work Capability Assessment by Atos.
Victor Cuff, 59 years old and suffering from severe depression. Victor hanged himself after the DWP stopped his benefits.
Charles Barden, 74 years old. Charles committed suicide by hanging due to fears that the Bedroom Tax would leave him destitute and unable to cope.
Ian Caress, 43 years old. Suffered multiple health issues and deteriorating eyesight. Ian was found fit for work by Atos, he died ten months later having lost so much weight that his family said that he resembled a concentration camp victim.
Iain Hodge, 30 years old. Suffered from the life threatening illness, Hughes Syndrome. Found fit for work by Atos and benefits stopped, Iain took his own life.
Wayne Grew, 37 years old. Severely depressed due to government cuts and the fear of losing his job, Wayne committed suicide by hanging.
Kevin Bennett, 40 years old. Kevin a sufferer of schizophrenia and mental illness became so depressed after his JSA was stopped that he became a virtual recluse. Kevin was found dead in his flat several months later.
David Elwyn Hughs Harries, 48 years old. A disabled man who could no longer cope after his parents died, could find no help from the government via benefits. David took an overdose as a way out of his solitude.
Denis Jones, 58 years old. A disabled man crushed by the pressures of government cuts, in particular the Bedroom Tax, and unable to survive by himself. Denis was found dead in his flat.
Shaun Pilkington, 58 years old. Unable to cope any more, Shaun shot himself dead after receiving a letter from the DWP informing him that his ESA was being stopped.
Paul ?, 51 years old .Died in a freezing cold flat after his ESA was stopped. Paul appealed the decision and won on the day that he lost his battle to live.
Chris MaGuire, 61 years old. Deeply depressed and incapable of work, Chris was summonsed by Atos for a Work Capability Assessment and deemed fit for work. On appeal, a judge overturned the Atos decision and ordered them to leave him alone for at least a year, which they did not do. In desperation, Chris took his own life, unable to cope anymore.
Peter Duut, a Dutch national with terminal cancer living in the UK for many years found that he was not entitled to benefits unless he was active in the labour market. Peter died leaving his wife destitute, and unable to pay for his funeral.
George Scollen, age unknown. Took his own life after the government closed the Remploy factory he had worked in for 40 years.
Julian Little, 47 years old. Wheelchair bound and suffering from kidney failure, Julian faced the harsh restrictions of the Bedroom Tax and the loss of his essential dialysis room. He died shortly after being ordered to downgrade.
Miss DE, Early 50’s. Suffering from mental illness, this lady committed suicide less than a month after an Atos assessor gave her zero points and declared her fit for work.
Robert Barlow, 47 years old. Suffering from a brain tumour, a heart defect and awaiting a transplant, Robert was deemed fit for work by Atos and his benefits were withdrawn. He died penniless less than two years later.
Carl Joseph Foster-Brown, 58 years old. As a direct consequence of the wholly unjustifiable actions of the Job centre and DWP, this man took his own life.
Martin Hadfield, 20 years old. Disillusioned with the lack of jobs available in this country but too proud to claim benefits. Utterly demoralised, Martin took his own life by hanging himself.
Annette Francis, 30 years old. A mum-of-one suffering from severe mental illness, found dead after her disability benefits were ceased.
Ian Jordan, 60 years old. His benefits slashed after Atos and the DWP declared Ian, a sufferer of Barratt’s Oesophagus, fit for work, caused him to run up massive debts in order to survive. Ian was found dead in his flat after taking an overdose.
Janet McCall, 53 years old. Terminally ill with pulmonary fibrosis and declared ‘Fit for Work’ by Atos and the DWP, this lady died 5 months after her benefits were stopped.
Stuart Holley, 23 years old. A man driven to suicide by the DWP’s incessant pressure and threat of sanctions for not being able to find a job.
Graham Shawcross, 63 years old. A sufferer of the debilitating disease, Addison’s. Died of a heart attack due to the stress of an Atos ‘Fit for Work’ decision.
David Clapson, 59 years old. A diabetic ex-soldier deprived of the means to survive by the DWP and the governments harsh welfare reforms, David died all but penniless, starving and alone, his electricity run out.
Chris Smith 59 years old.While he lay in a hospital bed, dying of cancer. The Jobcentre bombarded him with texts telling him he had to apply for jobs, and letters urging him to come to ‘job workshops.’
Nathan Hartwell, 36 years old, died of heart failure after an 18-month battle with the Department for Works and Pensions.
Michael Connolly, 60 years old. A Father of One, increasingly worried about finances after his benefits were cut. Committed suicide by taking 13 times the fatal dose of prescription medicine on the 30th October – His Birthday.
Jan Mandeville, 52 years old, A lady suffering from Fibromyalgia, driven to the point of mental and physical breakdown by this governments welfare reforms. Jan was found dead in her home after battling the DWP for ESA and DLA.
Trevor Drakard, 50 years old. A shy and reserved, severe epileptic who suffered regular and terrifying fits almost his entire life, hounded to suicide by the DWP who threatened to stop his life-line benefits.
Unnamed, death of a severely disabled Dorset resident, who took her own life while battling the bedroom tax.
Aaron Lane, 31 years old. A talented musician battling mental health problems took his own life after he was ruled fit to work.
Glen Harris, 55 years old. Killed himself with an electric saw because he feared his benefits would be changed after being found fit for work.
Peter Kelleher, 44 years old. Found in his flat with a ligature around his neck and in a state of decomposition after the pressure of mounting debt and no benefit at all became too much to bear.
Malcolm Burge, 66 years old. A retired gardener who killed himself after being hounded for £800 after changes to his benefits left him unable to cope.
Julia Kelly, 39 years old. Suffering with chronic back pain and hounded constantly by the DWP, Julia commited suicide after receiving a letter demanding that she pay back over £4000.
Benjamin Del McDonald, 34 years old. A doting Father of three children suffering from depression due to removal of his lifeline benefits, Benjamin committed suicide by hanging.
Mark William Jacka, 26 years old. Stressed to the point of suicide, Mark was found hanged at his home the day after a visit to his local Job Centre to apply for JSA.
David O’Mar, 58 years old. Suffering from Pneumonia in a hospital bed. Found ‘Fit for Work’ by the DWP only to die two weeks later.
Moira Drury, 61 years old. Suffering from limited mobility, mini-strokes, epilepsy and depression. Her daughter believes that a seven-month delay in processing her benefit claim hastened her death.
Gordon Lang, 62 years old, A marine veteran who died from cancer while battling the state over benefits.
Nick Barker, a former sheep farmer, had a brain haemorrhage which left him struggling to walk. The father of two shot himself after the DWP claimed he was fit to work. Recording a suicide verdict, coroner Michael Oakley said the benefits assessment was key to the tragedy.
Found Fit for work
David Waite, 60 years old, suffers from a string of health problems including brain, damage neck pain, diabetes and depression.
The Peoples review of the WCA published this report. There is a long depressing list of other people whose health has deteriorated after being “found fit for work”.
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Surely now in the face of these facts and others MP’s at least the Opposition parties will raise hell …… won’t they?
They will now with Jeremy Corbyn leading the Labour party instead of the thatcherite right infiltrators. The tories should be indicted for MURDER for that is what these deatsh amount to. It shows that they are bunch of nazi thugs who juts don’t give toss about anyone but themselves and their cronies.
i JUST HAD MY ESA STOPPED MY HUSBAND AND SON ARE DISABLED THEY BOTH CRYING I HATE THIS GOVERMENT THEY CARE NOTHING FOR SICK DISABLED OR THE OLD
I was made to go to an assessment because I couldn’t miss another as my benefit was sanctioned. I suffer from depression and anxiety. After the assessment I was made to go on a work programme which caused my symptoms increase. .
Chris Smith 59 years old.While he lay in a hospital bed, dying of cancer. The Jobcentre bombarded him with texts telling him he had to apply for jobs, and letters urging him to come to ‘job workshops.’
The reason I keep a dog, I could not leave her to end up in a sanctuary, as long as I have her I will not commit suicide even if I lose my ESA, I could easily give up on myself but never her. So many who had no-one there for them and to be so fearful and lost, this makes for heart rending reading.
Forget “aspirations” why set the bar so high when so many desperate souls would settle for “hope”?
My son lost his benefits for a whole year after being found fit for work, he suffers depression and after a long battle was diagnosed as being aspergers. Took a whole year to get his money which was not back dated. He is one of the lucky ones as we paid for all his needs, including his medications. Someone else we know was not so lucky as his parents could not support him and so he ended up killing himself. I sorry to say but it looks like the government plan is working, kill of those in need, get rid of the ill and poor and you do not have to pay them money. Oliver twist could be rewritten for these times.
@Alison Galloway
“he suffers depression and after a long battle was diagnosed as being aspergers.”…….I understand that Aspergers automatically leads to failing the WCA and being put in the “support” group. However knowing how things go nowadays, actually having a pulse means you will be found fit for work.
Oh! Mike that makes very sad reading but it hits home when you see all the names together on one list.
If this list was compiled due to a terrorist attack there would be a hue & cry but the sad thing is it won’t affect the hard Tory hearts.
This is a “list compiled due to a terrorist attack”. Unfortunately, the terrorists in question are sitting in the offices of government.
As the crimes against humanity which killed these people were all instigated within the area covered by the Metropolitan Police, why aren’t they investigating?
Their cover up is looking more and more like the disgraceful behaviour of the police after Hillsborough, although the numbers are undoubtedly larger.
The select committee, whose recommendations have been ignored by the criminals, could possibly refer this list for judicial review – I’m sure they have the power to.
Or maybe they don’t really think that MPs should speak for the people they represent?
We have two of the most inhumane and evil politicians in David Cameron and IDS that this country has ever known.They should be up for Murder.How can they be getting away with this?It feels like Nazi Germany all over again.They are knowingly killing people and we are not doing anything about it.Shame on the British people.Shocking!!!
The statistics show a gross lack of care sanctioned by this government and in particular IDS. How can this man sleep at night and function, obviously he doesn’t function. He and the government should be held to answer. I am ashamed to be called british
What can you say ! Absolutely terrifying that all these people have died down to one man, Ian Duncan Smith. David Cameron ,hang your head in shame ,you are a disgrace. There you are over in Lebanon trying to look like a knight in shining armour while over here your own people are dying, many due to fear. The sooner your party are thrown out the better. These poor peoples names and possibly photographs should be shown on national news stations to shame this heartless government. I would like to send my heartfelt sympathy to the families of all the people named above.
I have been targeted too not sure how to deal with it not sure if I really can because it is a total set up especially people with brain injury issues that they can run rings around. This is another attempt of culling the masses or certain age groups and of course kill of the sick and disabled What is the point of paying national contributions if you get bugger all at the end of it? Our leaders for years have brought the state of this country through their greed for power, money and not for the good of the people, so if they work for us why is it that they are still shafting every one? They own too much, so why not hold a peoples vote on the pay cuts we see fit to give them? Sorry I LMFAO then….good idea but it wont happen because we let it…We need some help here…
Shame on us as a nation. Seek legal advice and take them to court for manslaughter? Maybe start with the most blatant job centre/advisor.
Hang your head in shame Mr Cameron, don’t tell us that you represent a new caring Conservative Party, if you do then you only care about those that have far more than they need. You and your lot are nothing more than bullies that pick on those who are least likely to be able to defend themselves.
If you want to live in a civilized society then start acting like a civilized human being.
You can start by getting rid of Ian Duncan Smith, and anyone in your party that think like him.
But you would probably end up with a party smaller than the Lib Dems.
I am gob smacked. Ids and cameron should be hanged for multiple murder
Is there not such a thing as “CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY” if so WHY isn’t CAMERON and IDS being brought to book….both are a disgrace, and how other of their party members going along with it should be ashamed, and bring about a vote OF NO CONFIDENCE and get them out…but wont of course TOO COWARDLY and probably enjoy lining their pockets at the expense of the poor of this once great country, now in sad decline…rapidly becoming a third world country.
Absolutely appalling. Thank you for all Maggie, Gill and you are doing. So glad you are collecting stories and experiences as well. This will give Labour a good foundation to fight this on but it is critical the appointment of the Shadow Social security minister. So many lives riding on stopping this now!
Please may I copy and paste just the list, Mike to send to my MP? I wrote when it was Stephanie and Mark Wood as I was absolutely appalled at their deaths but sadly, look at the length of the list now.
Shame on the tories. We will defeat this!
Yes, you may copy the list.
Sorry Mike that I did not first ask your permission before I printed out copies of this list and sent them to colleagues and friends . I hope that is ok with yourself.
I don’t mind copies of the list going out. It isn’t material that is original to the site and it should be possible for anyone to compile something similar. Easier to use this one, though.
If you were saying you’d copied and passed around articles from the site, though, I would have been less happy.
There is no doubt that the deaths of these people have been caused by one of the most brutal and inhumane governments this country has ever had the misfortune to have in power (and I’m 65 so have experienced the policies of quite a few of them!). IDS, Cameron and the rest of his pack of knaves are an utter disgrace in that they have authorised this to happen and must therefore be brought to account under the laws of the Genève Convention.
My heart goes out, not only to the friends and relations of the bereaved, but also to all those employees at Job Centres who, under this harsh far right regime, have had to deliver, day in, day out, distressing news to those who suffer.
I am now depressed beyond words, seeing this list, which is only a sample of deaths of our own people, by our own Government. It flies in the face of two absolutes that I had thought were written in stone. One. First duty of Government is the safety of all the people. Two. A wealthy nation, but devoid of general honour, is no nation at all.
Under todays leadership, the Tory party has shown itself to be only slightly able with tax and employment, but then shows its hand towards the sick, lame and disabled, which is straight out of the book on 1930s Germany. That makes them a far right Party !
Then we have Labour. Although our debts are due to a very bad Banking Industry on a world-wide scale, Labour’s methodology in Government had the effect of multiplying the effect of Bank collapse, upon this nation. Check Brown’s dopy sale of our gold ! Also check the understandable, but foolish election of a far left leader. (I wish him well).
Now with Labour and Tory moving Left and Right, a centre ground is visible. IF there is anyone with brains, personality, and a well thought through manifesto in the Lib/Dem Party, then from wipe-out, they could go places, to the benefit of this nation.
Non domestic organisations like the U.N., with their Miss Aguilar checking our disabled well-being at the hands of our Tory Government. or the inevitable E.U. investigations on the same matter, due only to it not wanting to be seen as useless, should trigger some action upon this Government, or at least some members of it. Presumably at first, a select committee, and then the Courts.
One thing is very clear however this plays out, it must be seen by Political Parties and all individuals, that just stopping the payment of benefits, on the whim of an official and a spurious, medical opinion, can never again be contemplated in the U.K.
My wife and I are both disabled and unable to work. Thanks to the Tories and their “Victorian values”, incapacity benefit was stopped and the ESA thing only lasted for a year. Current income? £0. This is why I joined the Labour party and voted for Jeremy Corbyn. If you’ve never understood the differences between left and right wing, read this: http://www.diffen.com/difference/Left_Wing_vs_Right_Wing
And many more as well. Some families tell us terrible stories and are not emotionally able yet to make public what has happened to their loved ones. Here’s a post that’s currently pinned to the top of our page. The funeral hasn’t even happened yet so the gentleman’s widow has been generous in sharing this story for people to read and try and understand the truth of what is happening: https://www.facebook.com/ATOSM/posts/1122795797749554
I have had to use JSA due to contract’s ending or just no work. During a short period of my slightly younger life in the Tories first pop at power and killing of the poor.
I always remember the first time a was sanctioned it came while a was on JSA due to the fact that a had to leave my job and where a stayed to go and move in with my Gran just so she could get out of hospital and a would be there to look after her until she got better again. A still looked for work and applied to many places, for one day i walked into my local job centre and sat down for my advisor to tell me a wasn’t entitled to JSA? This came from an advisor that asked me how to spell a number of different words during the short time a spent with her, I was then told that she had a number to reach… pretty much the job centre were to kick so many people of JSA so they could make it look as if people were going in to employment, an other fat lie from the Tory’s.. This carry on went on for a couple of months, so during this time a was getting in to debt for basic living need’s.. A worked hard all my life straight from school paid my taxes and even now a pay a silly amount on tax! I am still in debt from these months that a was sanctioned and a had to move job centre as i was being bullied by the staff at the one in Kirkintilloch!! Worst job centre ever… staff were rude, non-qualified (couldn’t spell) really they just weren’t nice people to you.. it was as if they looked down at you as if you were scum of the earth ! This caused alot of stress and depression that a still suffer from but the job centre in Cumbernauld quickly put right the wrongs with the help of a letter being sent to the local MP.. Now that am in Edinburgh am back working and fighting my depression to better my life with no help from the Tory government! They have ruined my life and self confidence!
Kirkintilloch Job Centre worst experience of my life and was belittled at every appointment at every chance the staff had. This place should actually be shut down due to the lack or training to staff as most of them shouldn’t have been in such a position where they were aloud to work with people on such a level as they were…
People are still dying because of staff like this in the DWP am just glad a wasn’t one of them who did and my heart goes out to them that have cause a wouldn’t like to have suffered any more than a have.
Sorry for the rant but these stories have to get out there because a bet they claimed that a was employed during the time of being sanctioned even though a still had to sign on, look for work and all the same old bulls**t that you have heard from the scum.
I don’t expect much from government, but it’s not supposed to starve its own citizens.
Of course, this list is the tip of the iceberg.
Only people who have loved ones to report their death will have made it onto this list, yet they are the most likely to also have some level of support from their own families or friends.
The death toll is bound to be far higher among those who don’t have friends or relations to help support them, which also means they will have nobody to report their death either.
It’s likely that those who were most reliant on benefits, being alone and unable to cope, are not even making the count. I wonder how many hundred of those there are?
An approximation can be estimated by the difference in death rates on benefits before IDS brought in his targeted policy of cuts and that after, if anyone better able to handle statistics feels up to the task.
I’m sure it runs into tens of thousands by now – most of them dying completely alone and without hope, intentionally abandoned by the government they both paid for and relied on.
How many hundred? We have thousands of deaths recorded, any of which may have happened in the circumstances you describe. What’s worse, there are many that have gone unrecorded by the DWP, for reasons I can only say are spurious at best.
There is no appreciable difference in death rates before and after the Tories changed the system – but of course the system as it is now has pushed hundreds of thousands of people off-benefit, where there deaths would go unrecorded as being related to benefits.
MODERATOR’S NOTE: This comment contains expletives which I have not edited, for what I hope are obvious reasons. If anyone is offended, I hope you consider the context.
I notice that my brother, Edward Jacques, is one of those mentioned in this article.
Eddy took his own life three years ago when his benefits were stopped following a Work Capability Assessment carried out by the firm Atos on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
He had a history of self harm and depression, which stemmed from physical and emotional abuse as a child
At his inquest, which lasted two days, the court heard that Eddy’s medical assessment took just 23 minutes and his allowance was stopped despite him suffering from HIV, hepatitis C, sciatica, severe depression, insomnia and dental pain. The Nottinghamshire coroner, Miss Mairin Casey, branded it a “crude assessment”. She said: “I find the assessment process in Edward’s case did not fully or properly reflect Edward’s physical and mental health at that time.”
His last message to the world, posted on Facebook was “Fuck Atos. Fuck David Cameron. It’s time to say Goodbye. Goodbye”.
Allow me to preface what I’m about to say by offering my belated sympathies for your loss.
What was the coroner’s verdict? Did she say the DWP had any responsibility for the circumstances leading to the end of your brother’s life?
This is very significant. It shows that what happened was directly related, in your brother’s mind, to his treatment by the government and its contractor. Evidence like this may help to prevent others from suffering a similar fate.
my opinion: Iain Duncan Smith – Minister for Genocide
What vile people our current government consists of I have never believed social cleansing would ever happen in our country but the murderous D.C. and his sub human sidekick I.D.S.
have proved me wrong! It will be fit and healthy unemployed people who will be in their sights when 34% of jobs are taken over by robots!
I think this list is just the tip of the iceburg. My cousin, aged only 39 died shortly after being passed fit at a WCA. She died from her third heart attack and also suffered lymphodema which is an extremely painful condition. She couldn’t get upstairs and slept upright in a chair. Her last few weeks of life were in despair because her money was stopped and she couldn’t pay bills. She didn’t live to see her appeal.
Thank you, thank you to everyone who casts their net as far as they can so others don’t experience suffering and hardship like this.
I am sitting in my car in tears reading this list of deceased. I ask myself if there is anything more I can do other than sign petitions. I will send a copy of this list to my MP, Sheryl Murray, and ask for an explantation as to why she has supported this awful, government-caused, death toll. I hope that the UN investigation into the behaviour of this government will have very long and sharp teeth… but I fear not, such is my complete and abject loss of faith in all politicians. I hope Jeremy Corbyn has the strength to change this country for the better; if he can’t I fear life will become significantly worse for those in need and other disabled and vulnerable souls.