Latest news with #Whiting
Channel 4
7 hours ago
- Business
- Channel 4
Mother fears benefit cuts will lead to more deaths like her daughter's
Words by Jamie Roberton. The mother of a woman who died after her benefits were incorrectly stopped has told Channel 4 News that she fears there will be more deaths like her daughter's because of imminent benefits cuts . Jodey Whiting, of Stockton-on-Tees, was housebound with chronic physical pain and mental health problems before she took her own life in 2017, just two weeks after her Employment Support Allowance (ESA) was denied because she was deemed fit to work. A senior coroner concluded on Monday that the wrongful withdrawal of the 42-year-old's benefits was 'the trigger' to her taking her own life, highlighting five missed opportunities by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to recognise her vulnerabilities and reverse the decision. It was the second inquest into the mother of nine's death, with the first lasting just 37 minutes and making no reference to the actions of the DWP. Joy Dove – who fought for eight years for the role of the DWP to be scrutinised – said the department's actions towards her daughter had been 'brutal', but feared lessons had still not been learned. The government has outlined plans to cut the welfare bill in the aim of saving £5 billion a year by 2030. 'More people have died in the eight years since Jodey and with these cuts coming, wanting to take more money off people, it is going to be terrible – it is going to be worse and worse,' Ms Dove said. 'I can just see more Jodeys because people won't cope.' A DWP representative told the inquest that the department was 'deeply regretful' over the failings in Ms Whiting's case, pledging that 'a culture shift from being process driven to being much more compassionate' was underway. 'I can just see more Jodeys because people won't cope.' – Joy Dove Ms Whiting had suffered with chronic pain for years, with curvature of the spine and a later diagnosis of a brain cyst. A spell in hospital with pneumonia in December 2016 meant that Ms Whiting missed a letter about her benefits, informing her that she would need to be medically assessed. In January 2017, she was told that she had missed the appointment and was therefore judged fit to work. She was also due to lose her housing and council tax benefits. Ms Dove said her daughter was 'shaking, crying' at the news, becoming increasingly distressed despite her mother's attempts to help. Ms Dove discovered her daughter's body on 21 February 2017, later describing how she 'just started screaming and fell back.' Extracts from notes found in Ms Whiting's flat described her panic at not being able to pay her bills and having no food, with one note saying: 'debt, debt, debt.' Another read: 'I have had enough.' An Independent Case Examiner (ICE) report, published in 2019, had already identified a number of serious failings in the DWP's handling of Ms Whiting's case, even finding the department had repeatedly tried to contact her after her death. 'They wrote a letter saying she was fit to work – and she was in the undertakers.' – Joy Dove The report identified multiple missed opportunities, including: a failure to contact Ms Whiting's GP as she had requested; a failure to contact Ms Whiting to arrange a safeguarding visit after she missed her appointment; and a refusal to consider her request for a medical assessment to be carried out at her home. 'They decided that she was fit to work but all the evidence was there,' Ms Dove said. 'They didn't bother to phone, they didn't bother to go to the door, go to the doctors. It was just like, 'tick them off, tick them off'.' 'It was so brutal.' Claire Bailey, the senior coroner for Teeside, concluded that Ms Whiting's death was suicide 'in the context of a deteriorating mental state, precipitated by the withdrawal of state benefits.' She also cited evidence from a psychiatrist who said Ms Whiting's loss of benefits was 'the straw that broke the camel's back.' Ms Whiting's inquest conclusion came just weeks after a group of MPs demanded 'deep-rooted cultural change' at the DWP following a spate of tragedies. The Work and Pensions Committee found there had been at least 240 internal reviews since 2020 where there had been an allegation that the DWP may have contributed to death or harm, although the actual figure was likely to be 'much higher.' Coroners were also found to have issued 9 Future Prevention of Death reports to the DWP since 2013. Debbie Abrahams MP, the Labour chair of the committee, described the findings as 'unacceptable' saying DWP culture had been 'geared to getting people into work, sometimes by means that are completely inappropriate.' Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer recently described the benefits system as 'the worst of all worlds' and the number of people out of work or training as 'indefensible and unfair.' Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has defended the planned £5 billion in cuts amid deep misgivings from Labour backbenchers, arguing the savings were necessary to prevent the welfare system's collapse. Merry Varney, senior partner at Leigh Day who represented Ms Dove, told Channel 4 News: 'There probably still is some culture at the DWP of not wanting to accept that these decisions can cause such serious harm and death. 'They have been very reluctant to allow open, transparent investigations and show that they're willing to learn from the mistakes that have been made and lives have been lost because of it.' – Merry Varney Ms Dove said she hoped the coroner's conclusion after her eight-year battle meant Jodey's 'death had not been in vain.' Paying tribute to her daughter, Ms Dove said: 'She was just brilliant. She bought me birthday cards and Mother's Day cards. They were all beautiful with verses, telling me how much she loved me.' 'She was so lovely.' A spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions said: 'We continue to offer our sincerest condolences to Jodey Whiting's family. 'We will consider the coroner's full findings and use them to build further on the improvements the department has already made to protect and support vulnerable claimants.' DWP requires 'deep-rooted cultural change to stop more benefits deaths' Govt unveils crackdown on disability benefits in bid to save £5 bn Starmer under fire over cuts to welfare benefits
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Woman killed in Boom Island Park shooting is identified
Woman killed in Boom Island Park shooting is identified originally appeared on Bring Me The News. The woman killed when gunfire erupted during a large gathering at Boom Island Park in Minneapolis on Sunday evening has been identified. Stageina Whiting, 23, of Brooklyn Center, died at Hennepin County Medical Center from a gunshot wound to the torso, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office has confirmed. Police arrived at the park around 9:30 p.m. to find Whiting severely injured after an altercation at the park escalated to a shooting. Six other people were injured in the incident, with five men shot – one of whom is in a life-threatening condition – and a woman knocked unconscious. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara likened the aftermath of the shooting to a "war zone" due to the number of shell casings found at the scene. Police believe there was more than one shooter involved, but no arrests have been made as of Monday evening. The incident has been denounced as "completely unacceptable" by Mayor Jacob Frey, who said: "My heart is with the victims and their loved ones today. "This week, we're launching Operation Safe Summer – a coordinated effort with law enforcement partners at every level to prevent violence and keep people safe. We're going to keep working with our partners to keep incidents like this rare." Third District Rep. Ilhan Omar said: "I'm devastated by the tragic shooting at Boom Island Park last heart is with the victims, their families, and all those who were at the park during such a terrifying moment. Our community should feel safe in parks and public spaces no matter the time of day." This story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
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.
Sunday World
2 days ago
- Health
- Sunday World
Disabled UK woman ‘killed herself after benefits incorrectly stopped'
Extracts from notes Jodey Whiting, left for family members were read at the second inquest into her death A housebound disabled woman killed herself as her mental health deteriorated after her benefits were incorrectly stopped, a coroner has found. Extracts from notes Jodey Whiting, 42, left for family members were read at the second inquest into her death, in which she said she could not pay her bills and had no food. An initial inquest into her death in Stockton-on-Tees in 2017 did not consider the actions of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in stopping her benefits. Her mother Joy Dove fought a long legal battle for a second inquest, going all the way to the Court of Appeal. She told the hearing at Teesside Magistrates' Court how her daughter, who was a mother of nine, including two sets of twins, suffered from a curvature of the spine and was later diagnosed with a brain cyst. She dealt with chronic pain for years, developed drug dependency and had poor mental health, Teesside Coroner's Court was told on Monday. Coroner Clare Bailey recorded a conclusion that Ms Whiting's death was suicide 'in the context of a deteriorating mental state, precipitated by the withdrawal of state benefits'. An Independent Case Examiner (ICE) report into the decision to remove Ms Whiting's benefits found that a number of mistakes had been made, that her payments should not have been withdrawn and it recommended that the DWP pay £10,000 to her family. Extracts from notes found alongside prescription drugs in her flat were read in court. Bridget Dolan KC, coroner's counsel, said: 'She wrote about not being able to pay her bills and having no food. 'In some she wrote about feeling breathless and having back pain and trying to pay her bills and being in debt.' Another note stated: 'I have had enough.' In a pen portrait, Ms Dove said: 'Her death really impacted on me, and to learn from the ICE reports of the number of failures by the DWP was to play was a further deep shock that I have not recovered from.' Her father Eric Whiting said in his tribute in court, how she was like the 'Pied Piper' as she always had children around her who adored her. He added: 'She always saw the fun side of life until her health issues started.' Her mother agreed that Ms Whiting, who had six grandchildren, became increasingly housebound in the last years of her life. She had a hospital stay in December 2016 after contracting pneumonia and that meant she missed a letter about her benefits, saying she needed to be medically assessed. Ms Dove said she reassured her daughter that she would help, telling the inquest: 'I said, don't you worry, we will write in and we will explain how you have been in hospital and you are still convalescing.' But 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. Ms Dove said when she saw her daughter, two days before her death, she was 'shaking and crying' and had threatened to kill herself. Ms Dove said she was sure that the stress of losing her benefits was the trigger for her to decide to kill herself. 'I know my daughter and I know it was (that),' she told the inquest. '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.' Helga Swidenbank, a DWP director for disability services, said the organisation should have recognised that Ms Whiting had 'good cause' not to attend a health assessment, given her illnesses and mental health concerns. The witness told the hearing: '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.' Ms Swidenbank said the organisation was now more focused on people's vulnerabilities, although this remained a 'work in progress'. She added: 'I understand that there is a culture shift from being process-driven to being much more compassionate. 'We are not there yet, we still have more work to do.' The coroner cited evidence from psychiatrist Dr Trevor Turner who looked into the background of the case and who said losing her benefits was the 'straw that broke the camel's back'. Ms Bailey said: '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 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.'
North Wales Chronicle
2 days ago
- Health
- North Wales Chronicle
Disabled woman ‘killed herself after benefits were incorrectly stopped'
Extracts from notes Jodey Whiting, 42, left for family members were read at the second inquest into her death, in which she said she could not pay her bills and had no food. An initial inquest into her death in Stockton-on-Tees in 2017 did not consider the actions of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in stopping her benefits. Her mother Joy Dove fought a long legal battle for a second inquest, going all the way to the Court of Appeal. She told the hearing at Teesside Magistrates' Court how her daughter, who was a mother of nine, including two sets of twins, suffered from a curvature of the spine and was later diagnosed with a brain cyst. She dealt with chronic pain for years, developed drug dependency and had poor mental health, Teesside Coroner's Court was told on Monday. Coroner Clare Bailey recorded a conclusion that Ms Whiting's death was suicide 'in the context of a deteriorating mental state, precipitated by the withdrawal of state benefits'. An Independent Case Examiner (ICE) report into the decision to remove Ms Whiting's benefits found that a number of mistakes had been made, that her payments should not have been withdrawn and it recommended that the DWP pay £10,000 to her family. Extracts from notes found alongside prescription drugs in her flat were read in court. Bridget Dolan KC, coroner's counsel, said: 'She wrote about not being able to pay her bills and having no food. 'In some she wrote about feeling breathless and having back pain and trying to pay her bills and being in debt.' Another note stated: 'I have had enough.' In a pen portrait, Ms Dove said: 'Her death really impacted on me, and to learn from the ICE reports of the number of failures by the DWP was to play was a further deep shock that I have not recovered from.' Her father Eric Whiting said in his tribute in court, how she was like the 'Pied Piper' as she always had children around her who adored her. He added: 'She always saw the fun side of life until her health issues started.' Her mother agreed that Ms Whiting, who had six grandchildren, became increasingly housebound in the last years of her life. She had a hospital stay in December 2016 after contracting pneumonia and that meant she missed a letter about her benefits, saying she needed to be medically assessed. Ms Dove said she reassured her daughter that she would help, telling the inquest: 'I said, don't you worry, we will write in and we will explain how you have been in hospital and you are still convalescing.' But 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. Ms Dove said when she saw her daughter, two days before her death, she was 'shaking and crying' and had threatened to kill herself. Ms Dove said she was sure that the stress of losing her benefits was the trigger for her to decide to kill herself. 'I know my daughter and I know it was (that),' she told the inquest. '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.' Helga Swidenbank, a DWP director for disability services, said the organisation should have recognised that Ms Whiting had 'good cause' not to attend a health assessment, given her illnesses and mental health concerns. The witness told the hearing: '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.' Ms Swidenbank said the organisation was now more focused on people's vulnerabilities, although this remained a 'work in progress'. She added: 'I understand that there is a culture shift from being process-driven to being much more compassionate. 'We are not there yet, we still have more work to do.' The coroner cited evidence from psychiatrist Dr Trevor Turner who looked into the background of the case and who said losing her benefits was the 'straw that broke the camel's back'. Ms Bailey said: '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 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 praised the family's determined campaign to bring about justice, describing their 'perseverance, resilience and dignity.' After the hearing, Ms Dove said: 'I have always believed that Jodey took her life due to failings by the DWP and today the coroner has 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. '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.' The family's solicitor Merry Varney, from Leigh Day, said: 'Today's conclusion shows the importance of thorough inquests that properly investigate how a death occurred. 'Without them, the dangerous and sometimes deadly way that those unable to work due to ill health or disability are treated by the DWP will remain covered up and unchecked.'
