Two die amid threats of losing benefits and eviction
The late Julia Kelly
Conservative-led Coalition Government welfare policy has led to two more deaths, it has been revealed.
One concerns a man suffering from depression who was living in fear of eviction after his benefits were stopped (no reason was given in the news report), and the other involves a woman whose suicide was allegedly triggered by a DWP letter demanding repayment of £4,000 in disability benefit.
The Lancashire Telegraph reported that the body of 34-year-old father-of-three Benjamin Del McDonald, who suffered with depression, was found last November.
East Lancashire Coroner Richard Taylor said: “Something must have happened to make him behave the way he did, because He had so much more to live for, especially his relationship with his daughter.
“At the time, his money had been stopped, he had no form of income, and he said he was threatened with eviction from his home – all matters that can play one someone’s mind very much.
“The appropriate conclusion for me today is that while he was suffering from a significant bout of depression, he took his own life.”
The full report is in the Lancashire Telegraph.
In Northampton, 39-year-old Julia Kelly was found to have taken her own life, days after receiving a series of letters from the Department for Work and Pensions including one demanding that she repay £4,000 in Employment and Support Allowance payments.
She had faced three tribunals in a bid to keep her benefit, and her family “firmly believed” the stress caused by the DWP over her claim was what “triggered” her suicide.
A statement by her father, David Kelly, said: “We firmly believe the letter from the DWP was the trigger for her actions. Not to be believed by the DWP that she was suffering chronic back pain and also to be accused of wrongdoing and be told her payments might be stopped – we believe she snapped and could not take it anymore.”
Mr Kelly said his daughter had been forced to “fight for every penny” of disability benefit including attending three tribunal cases.
The DWP had claimed that Ms Kelly was not entitled to claim ESA as she had failed to declare capital funds.
Together with her father, she had set up a charity called Away With Pain, to help fellow sufferers of chronic back pain.
The Northampton Chronicle report states: “Ms Kelly, who previously worked for Northamptonshire Young Carers, had to give up work in 2010 due to a severe back injury that had grown progressively worse since a car crash, which wasn’t her fault, in 2005.
“In 2013, Ms Kelly was involved in another car crash which fractured the part of her spine that had been fused together. To repair this damge she needed a major operation lasting six hours.
“Talking to the Chron last February Ms Kelly said: ‘One person said “until it happens to you, you have no idea what is involved”. It stops your life in its tracks and that is it. Pain management is probably the most under-funded area of the NHS and yet this is something that doesn’t go away. People do get suicidal.
“’You actually go through the bereavement process; not losing a person but you have lost the old you. Your morals and everything are the same, but that girl who used to jump in her car or who was the wildest on the dance floor, that has all changed. You have to get your head around that and be realistic about your expectations.
“’In my head I was going to get better, then when it didn’t happen, it was like ‘oh God, now what happens?’ Some people don’t get to that mind-set, through no fault of their own, so many people fall through the net.'”
The full report is on the Northampton Chronicle.
A general election is approaching. If a Conservative-led government gains office again, ask yourself how many more people will die prematurely?
Follow me on Twitter: @MidWalesMike
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
If you have enjoyed this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
reminding you of the human cost of austerity.
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
Rtu ids talks about compassion taking one of benefits his policys are killing but this man not for turning its about time he was called to that court in the hague for crimes against his own people’s
SUICIDES – NOW IT’S MURDER
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/bedroom-tax-killing-man-strangled-5273458#ICID=sharebar_twitter
The DWP coldly describe the case as “isolated”.
Have just sent an email to DWP at Caxton Street asking which bast**d is going to take responsibility for this? Will let you know if I get a response.
Understand the feeling of no options left only too well x
A public inquiry into Ms. Kelly’s death is needed. Even if she legitimately owed £4,000—why didn’t the DWP allow her to repay small amounts each week?
There’s a double standard when a MP named Maria Miller is treated very differently by the Government over claimed expenses.
The consequences of the DWP’s harsh and uncompassionate welfare reforms are tragically apparent in these latest suicides; this recent article (http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/feb/18/cuts-suicide-timebomb-mp-madeleine-moon-mental-health) is prescient.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_T4
Indeed that is a variation of the plan used by this government with the legal get out by a spokesperson from the DWP (we very much regret the death)
well as you know my views mike these deaths are never going away they will only be getting worse and those with mental health will just end their lives on mess over time as that will only be the way out
i have to speak to the samaritans weekly as all the deaths i’ve covered over the past 5 years has certainly left me mentally much worse then i need be
they think i’m a very remarkable person ? odd that as i have never thought of myself as being great
just goes to show how others see you or not see you i guess it’s how you sound on the phone ?
Exactly: If a Conservative-led government gains office again, ask yourself how many more people will die prematurely?
Re- getting the police to break down the door……….is that the new interpretation of “arranging a home visit” under the safeguarding rules?
The Lib Dems are indirectly to blame for putting the Conservatives in power in the first place.
Same will happen with all political partiss
A New Approach (to Social Security) is needed:
http://newapproachuk.org/