Disabled woman took her own life after benefits wrongly stopped, coroner finds
A disabled mother took her own life after her benefits were incorrectly stopped, a coroner has concluded.
Jodey Whiting, 42, left notes to her family members, saying she had no food, could not afford her bills, and that she had "had enough", an inquest heard.
The mother-of-nine had a hospital stay in December 2016, after contracting pneumonia, that meant she missed a letter about her benefits, saying she needed to be medically assessed.
In January 2017, Ms Whiting was told she had missed the medical assessment and she was therefore judged to be fit to work.
As well as losing her Employment and Support Allowance, she would also lose housing and council tax benefits.
An initial inquest into her death in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, in 2017 did not consider the Department for Work and Pensions' (DWP) role in ending her benefits.
Ms Whiting's mother Joy Dove fought a long legal battle for a second inquest, going all the way to the Court of Appeal.
Ms Dove said when she saw her daughter two days before her death in February 2017, she was "shaking and crying" and threatened to kill herself.
She told the hearing at Teesside Magistrates' Court the loss of benefits contributed to her daughter's death.
"I know my daughter and I know it was (that)," she said.
"It was the fact she couldn't find a job, the worry of paying bills, and being pushed out after being so vulnerable all those years and years."
Wrongly withdrawn benefits 'was trigger'
Ms Dove told the inquest that her daughter - who had six grandchildren - had a brain cyst, chronic pains, a drug dependency, and poor mental health.
She added that Ms Whiting became increasingly housebound in the last years of her life.
Read more from Sky News:
On Monday, coroner Clare Bailey concluded that Ms Whiting's death was suicide "in the context of a deteriorating mental state, precipitated by the withdrawal of state benefits".
The coroner added: "Her actions were in the context of her benefits having been wrongly withdrawn by the DWP in circumstances where there had been five missed opportunities to avoid the significant errors.
"This had the effect of negatively impacting upon her mental health, and was the trigger to her taking a fatal overdose," the coroner added.
'It should not have taken an eight-year fight'
After the hearing, Ms Dove said she "always believed that Jodey took her life due to failings by the DWP" and the coroner had "confirmed that mistakes made by the DWP in the way they handled Jodey's case caused her death".
"It should not have taken an eight-year fight for justice to get where we are today," she said.
"It has been an uphill battle trying to get answers and accountability, but I would never give up.
"I was determined to keep fighting for justice for Jodey."
An Independent Case Examiner report into the judgment to remove Ms Whiting's benefits discovered several mistakes were made, that her payments should not have been cut, and recommended the government compensate her family with £10,000.
Helga Swidenbank - a DWP director for disability services - said: "I was not in post at the time, but those who I have spoken to are deeply regretful and sorry about what happened.
"There were a number of opportunities to have picked up concerns about Jodey, and we are very sorry about that."
She added that the DWP has "more work to do" in regard to focusing more on people's vulnerabilities.
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Convicted nurse appeal 'straightforward', court told
The appeal of a former nurse who was convicted of murdering four elderly patients is a "straightforward" case, the Court of Appeal has heard. Colin Campbell, formerly known as Colin Norris, was found guilty in 2008 of killing four women by injecting them with insulin and was sentenced to life imprisonment. Doris Ludlam, 80, Bridget Bourke, 88, Irene Crookes, 79, and Ethel Hall, 86, were inpatients on orthopaedic wards where Campbell worked in Leeds in 2002 and developed unexplained hypoglycaemia. However, the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), which referred the case to the Court of Appeal four years ago, said prosecutors had relied on a "wholly circumstantial" case. Campbell, originally from Glasgow, was also found guilty of attempting to murder another inpatient, with his sentence carrying a minimum term of 30 years. On the 13th day of the appeal hearing in London, judges heard closing submissions from Campbell's barristers. In written submissions, Michael Mansfield KC said: "The appellant submits that this is a straightforward case in which this court must conclude that these convictions are unsafe." Campbell, who denied any wrongdoing and said he did nothing to cause hypoglycaemia, unsuccessfully appealed against his conviction in 2009 and applied to the CCRC in 2011. James Curtis KC, representing the Crown Prosecution Service, told the court there were "certain matters to which we take exception" from the defence's closing submissions. "There are a number of matters that I would seek to issue corrections on, things we firmly disagree with my learned friend on," he said. The appeal before Lady Justice Macur, Sir Stephen Irwin and Mr Justice Picken is due to conclude on Friday. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. New evidence may prove nurse's conviction 'unsafe' HM Courts and Tribunals Service
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
How much money could families get if Labour scraps two-child benefit cap?
Scrapping the two-child benefit cap could lift up to 470,000 children out of poverty, according to the latest estimates, by allowing low-income families to claim an extra £3,513 per year in universal credit for every extra child. After months of firm support for maintaining the limit, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has appeared to leave the door open to the possibility of lifting the limit, put in place by the Conservative government in 2017. 'We'll look at all options of driving down child poverty,' Sir Keir said last week, in response to questions on whether he would scrap it. It came after mounting pressure from his own MPs and Reform leader Nigel Farage, who committed to scrapping the limit if he were PM. There are 1.2 million families with three or more children in the UK and around 370,000 of these are households on universal credit (UC). Families receiving UC - who are on low or no income - receive an extra £339 each month for their first child born before 2017, and £292.81 for first or second children born after 2017. This amounts to £7,581 per year for families with two children. But in most cases, parents are unable to claim UC benefits for any further children. There are rare exemptions, for example, in the case of twins, or adopted children. Most families can still claim general child benefit payments for more than two children, which amounts to £897 per child per year. But if the government scrapped the two-child benefit cap, families on UC could claim a further £3,513 per year for every extra child. However, there is an upper limit to how much families can claim in benefits with an overall cap of £22,020 a year, or £25,323 for households in London. The number of children living in poor households has been steadily increasing over the past decade, with 4.5 million children - around 1 in 3 - now living in poverty. Poverty can be defined in several ways but the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) uses 'relative low income' as a marker, referring to people in households which earn below 60 per cent of the median income of £36,700 in 2024, or £14,680. Some of these children are going without essentials, according to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, such as food, heating, clothing or basic toiletries. Removing the two-child benefit cap could lift 350,000 out of poverty, according to analysis from researchers at the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG). A further 700,000 children could see their lives improved with the extra cash, their research has found. Meanwhile, the Resolution Foundation has estimated that around 470,000 children could be taken out of poverty by lifting the cap, or 280,000 if the limit was extended to three children. Since the Labour government came into power in July last year, some 37,000 more children have been pushed into poverty by the two-child limit, according to CPAG estimates. 'No road to better living standards, economic growth and wider opportunities starts with record child poverty. The policy must go - and sooner rather than later,' said CPAG's CEO Alison Garnham. Since the cap applies to families receiving UC, the children affected are in low-income households. And 6 in 10 families affected by the two-child limit have at least one parent in work, CPAG found. The estimated cost of removing the two-child limit, extending it to three children, or removing a household cap varies. Getting rid of the cap could cost the government £3.5bn in 2029/30, according to estimates from think tank the Resolution Foundation earlier this year. Meanwhile, CPAG suggests that the move would cost £2bn. The Independent's own calculations suggest that extending the limit to three children could cost at least £1.3 bn a year; assuming that 370,000 households claim an extra £3,513 of UC each year. Consecutive governments have refused to commit to removing the cap, despite its unpopularity with voters. Last year, Sir Keir enforced the whip on seven Labour MPs who voted against their party to oppose the two-child benefit cap. The current Labour government had consistently maintained that they would not take action to remove the cap, due to tight resources in the budget; yet Sir Keir's statements last week appeared to open up the possibility of a U-turn.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
DWP PIP cuts blamed on likes of benefit cheat mum as she's forced to pay back £20k
People have slammed the 'audacity' of a benefit cheat mum who falsely claimed more than £20,000. Sara Morris duped the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) into thinking she was so unwell she struggled to leave the house or look after herself. The mum-of-three was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2005 and exaggerated its effects to claim PIP in 2020. The 50-year-old said she could not stand at the cooker and found it difficult to get out of the bath unaided. READ MORE: Midlands area where homeowners saw £45,000 wiped from value of properties READ MORE: Dad who experienced 'terrible back pain' died nine days after going to hospital Morris also claimed she was so anxious when she left the house that even a trip to the pharmacy to collect her medication left her in tears. However, in reality she was running multiple 5km and 10km races and even posted pictures of herself competing. She had failed to tell the DWP that she was a member of the Stone Master Marathoners and was overpaid £20,528.83 between October 20, 2020 and April 25, 2023. Morris, of Walton Way, Stone, admitted dishonestly making a false statement to obtain a benefit and was jailed for eight months in July 2024. During a recent proceeds of crime hearing, Judge Graeme Smith was told Morris benefited from her criminality to the tune of £22,386.02 and the available amount was £60,000. He ordered Morris to repay £22,386.02 within 28 days or serve nine months in prison in default. And BirminghamLive readers have slammed the mum's actions saying that people like her are the reason PIP payments are so difficult to obtain. Karen said: "People like this are the reason genuine disabled are being affected today." Victoria added: "Because of people like her we [are] going to suffer." "I'd laugh at the audacity but it's really not funny," Claire added. Wayne wrote: "How on earth did she manage to get away with it. With my arthritis and other issues I provided medical proof from consultants, doctors, medical exams, blood tests, MRIs and X-rays. "Did she manage to fool all the latter medical evidence or did no one at the DWP bother to check?" Lisa added: "So she should pay every penny back." "And this is the reason why it is so hard to get PIP," Kimberley said. She added: "I had my first two rejected so I had to get a disability professional to help me with the forms. I struggle walking because of my asthma and old injury." A court had heard how investigators carried out surveillance on Morris from February 5 to February 20, 2023. Prosecutor Regan Walters said: "On February 5 she took part in a five-mile race and was seen running without assistance and showed no signs of balance problems. "On February 11 she was seen running with the Stone Master Marathoners and showed no signs of discomfort." Morris competed in 73 races between May 2019 and December 2022. During an interview in May 2023, Morris said her MS had worsened and she was suffering from fatigue. She confirmed she had been a member of Stone Master Marathoners running club prior to making her claim and filled in her PIP form on her worst day, StokeonTrentLive reports. Paul Cliff, defending, said the 'severity' of her condition's 'impact ebbs and flows to a degree'. He said: "But it is accepted by her that the application did not give the full picture. It crossed over into the realms of dishonesty." The court heard how Morris's marriage broke down in the spring of 2020 and she did not enjoy a lavish lifestyle as a result of her fraudulent claim, Mr Cliff said. He added: "She lost her home because of financial problems and was struggling to keep her head above water financially. "The application did not give the full picture. She did say running was one of the ways she tried to manage her multiple sclerosis. "She has found it difficult to come to terms with her dishonesty." Morris must also pay a £187 surcharge. At an earlier hearing, the court was told that Morris would not have been awarded PIP had she been honest about her condition. Mr Walters said: "The benefit was paid on the basis she would notify the DWP of any changes which affected the amount of benefits. "The DWP obtained photographs of the defendant and some Facebook posts taken by Morris herself. "She had been taking part in marathons, races and orienteering. "The first photo was taken a month after she signed her initial claim form. "The defendant can be seen to have been taking part in a competitive run two days prior to making that initial claim. "At no point was information received from the defendant reporting any improvement in her condition during her claim for PIP. "The defendant reported receiving assistance in almost every aspect of her life. "On some days her stress and anxiety led to her being housebound." She added she used a walking stick when she felt tired and unsteady. "The defendant exaggerated her issues throughout the claim process."
