Mum of 9 took own life after benefits wrongly stopped, inquest rules

Irish Daily Mirror

3 days ago

A campaigning mum has triumphed in an eight-year battle for justice, following an inquest's ruling that her daughter's suicide was linked to a benefits cut.
Joy Dove steadfastly refused to accept the death of her daughter Jodey Whiting, 42, without exposing the true cause. She achieved vindication when a coroner concluded that the mental health of the mother-of-nine worsened after her benefits were wrongly terminated by the Department of Work and Pensions in the UK, leading her to 'lose hope' and tragically take her own life, leaving behind notes for her family.
Throughout her ordeal, Joy, 71, received unwavering support from the Mirror and 'Real Britain' columnist Ros Wynn-Jones, who have been vocal advocates for Jodey's cause.
Teesside's Senior Coroner Clare Bailey delivered a verdict of suicide, attributing it to a "deteriorating mental state" triggered by the benefits decision. She commended the family's relentless pursuit of justice, highlighting their "perseverance, resilience and dignity."
Following the verdict, Joy, from Norton on Teesside, expressed: "I have always believed that Jodey took her life due to failings by the DWP. The coroner has confirmed that mistakes made by the DWP in the way they handled Jodey's case caused her death," reports the Mirror.
She continued, reflecting on the arduous journey: "It should not have taken an eight-year fight for justice to get where we are today. 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.
"This did not just happen to Jodey, it has happened to many others. Jodey's death was not a one-off failing by the DWP, the way they have treated some of their most vulnerable claimants is absolutely disgraceful."
The family's barrister, Merry Varney from Leigh Day, highlighted the critical role of comprehensive inquests declared by the coroner as a means to examine the cause of death thoroughly. Without such inquests, the "dangerous and sometimes deadly way" that the DWP treats individuals who are too unwell to work due to illness or disability would "will remain covered up and unchecked," she warned.
Jodey tragically passed away on February 21, 2017, merely 15 days after her Employment Support Allowance (ESA) was revoked following a ruling that she was 'fit to work'. The DWP expressed its deep regret over the incident at the inquest, which divulged that the mother of nine and grandmother to six "had lost hope" when she died.
During the proceedings at Teesside Coroner's Court, it emerged that towards the end of 2016, Jodey had missed a welfare assessment due to being hospitalised with pneumonia. While receiving treatment, doctors also found a brain cyst.
Upon her discharge, unread correspondence from the DWP inquiring about her non-attendance at a medical examination was discovered in her flat.
Another notification showed up four weeks later, on February 6, 2017, categorically stating she was "fit to work". From then on, Jodey's struggle to cope intensified; she found herself in a state of shock, distress, and desperation, as detailed at the inquest.
Jodey faced severe mental and physical health challenges, including bipolar disorder and a curved spine. Her mother Joy called for a second inquest following the initial one, which concluded in just 37 minutes and determined that Jodey had taken her own life.
The second inquest was secured after Joy took her fight to the Court of Appeal. In court, excerpts from notes discovered with prescription medication in her flat were shared.
Bridget Dolan KC, representing the coroner, relayed: "She wrote about not being able to pay her bills and having no food. In some she wrote about feeling breathless and trying to pay her bills and being in debt."
Another note simply read: "I have had enough."
Jodey's mother told the inquest: "Her death really impacted on me, and to learn of the number of failures by the DWP was a further deep shock that I have not recovered from."
Her father, Eric Whiting, paid tribute by saying Jodey was akin to the "Pied Piper" with children who adored her, noting: "She always saw the fun side of life until her health issues started."
In the latter part of her life, Jodey became increasingly confined to her home. She was hospitalised in December 2016 due to pneumonia, which caused her to miss an important letter regarding her benefits that stated she needed a medical assessment.
Joy comforted her daughter with assurances of support, telling the inquest: "I said, don't you worry, we will explain how you have been in hospital and you are still convalescing."
However, by January 2017, Jodey received notice that she had missed a medical assessment and was subsequently deemed fit for work.
This decision meant that Jodey would lose not only her Employment and Support Allowance but also her housing and council tax benefits. Joy recounted that when she visited her daughter two days before her tragic death, Jodey was visibly distressed, "shaking and crying", and had expressed suicidal thoughts.
Joy firmly believed that the anxiety over losing her benefits was what drove her daughter to contemplate suicide.
"I know my daughter and I know it was that," she insisted. "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."
Helga Swidenbank, an executive at the DWP responsible for disability services, admitted that the department should have acknowledged Jodey's "good cause" for missing the health assessment, considering her physical and mental health issues. She expressed regret, saying: "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."
Swidenbank acknowledged that while there is now a greater emphasis on recognising claimants' vulnerabilities, this change is still ongoing. She noted: "I understand that there is a culture shift to being much more compassionate. We are not there yet, we still have more work to do."
According to psychiatrist Dr Trevor Turner, the removal of her benefits was the pivotal moment that pushed Jodey over the edge. Ms Bailey concurred, stating: "Dr Turner says, and I accept, that withdrawal of her benefits would have had an acute and pervasive effect on Jodey's mental state given her vulnerability and her emotional instability."
The coroner further elaborated: "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."