Update 15th Jan 2013- the story of how this man died waiting for his benefits has now been covered by the ‘Daily Mirror, with more details. You can find it here: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/gloating-tories-dont-care-people-3022783
From the Facebook page ‘Atos Miracles’
” With respect and sadness we report the death of a 51 year old gentleman as reported on 4UP by the close friend who found him dead: “Another one off ESA. My friend who I have been trying to help by getting advise from 4UP over the last couple of months DIED in a freezing cold flat on Tuesday evening. He went 14 weeks with no money only to be told that his no compliance for attending an assessment had been good cause and he was entitled to his money with back pay,back to 5/10/13. He never got to see a penny. His money was paid into his bank on the afternoon he died. He was so ILL he couldn’t make it to the cash machine.
This govt are evil bastards, especially IDS. I wish him all the harm possible.
RIP Paul xx”
Paul had worked all his life until he became ill last year. His appointment letter for his mandatory reassessment was sent to the wrong address – it was sent to number 52 and he lived at 52A. His MP spotted the mistake but it took 14 weeks to sort out.
11th Jan 2013
On the 2/1/14 he was told he would be paid. He was too sick to collect the money himself so he gave his friend his bank card to collect it. The money didn’t come in until Tuesday the 7th so tha say Paul’s friend went round to deliver him the money, couldn’t get an answer so broke the door down; found his friend lying dead. The friend had Paul’s cash in his pocket but the dwp had sent it too late. Money that had been stopped because they got his address wrong.
Today (10/1/14) the friend went through Paul’s phone messages. Ingeus had texted him on the 07/01/14 to tell Paul he had an appointment on the 08/01/14 at 14.55pm. That’s 4 hours before he died. They haunted him to the last.
This information is genuine and verifiable and the friend has bravely given permission for this story to be shared.
With sympathy to all those who love Paul.
Rest In Peace.
To all those struggling right now under similar circumstances: please keep going. We communities coming together (usually online) are never giving up. Our jobs are to endure so we can bear witness and (when health allows) to speak, change injustice and keep alight what we know is Right and Just. We Shall Overcome. Love, Atos Miracles
Benefit tales 
rest in peace Paul they should be charged with murder bunch of stupid idiots x
RIP Paul, feel it for your family and friends that are left to cope with this. I have had no money from ESA since August and they keep making excuses even though my case was allowed by the Tribunal in November xx
That government should be sued my son the same 11 weeks so far and not getting paid till feb . We should all start a campaign and get the whole country behind us it’s terrible . How they treat people . There is no jobs for them to work . 32 jobs my son applied for “last week only ” it’s a disgrace that people in our country is starving to death and yet out country send to help others abroad
Please dont assume that he starved to death. His death may have happened anyway. If so, the scandal is that he was made to live in destitution for the last 14 weeks of his life, due to a simple DWP error. And that he had to spend those weeks fighting the DWP for his basic entitlement, under severe stress, which will make most medical conditions worse. This has nothing to do with money being sent abroad, and everything to do with the government helping the rich and persecuting the poor..
Why not assume starvation? obviously if the man was in receipt of his benefits he surely would of been for his shopping, gas and electric. Typical of the bloody government not only did that poor man die hungry he would have been cold also, The build of of stress during that time would not of helped. No-one has even said if he had any medical conditions and not everyone is at the end aged 51.
Cannot assume cause of death, have to wait for the inquest.
I take it your all for making people suffer this is just one of many cases. now this gov are talking about stopping housing benefits for under 25s the sooner they are out the better I for one have no confidence in the tory party
Doesn’t make difference stress n thing Wudnt ov helped him u must work for them don’t assume it’s not neitha they shambles and this just proves it
Do assume starvation I’ve been sanctioned since February for doing what they told me to when I prooved this to the dwp I got a letter stating a load of lies example how he called a Jobcentre 2 and a half hours away and asked them if they would look at this evidence
For a fact this did not happen a because I would have said wtf how am I meant to get there and b why can’t it be looked at here it also them states they made several calls over a period of 3 days yet phone company confirmed there was no incoming calls on any of the days they also said in the letter I refused to accept travel help to get to work place programs if they listen to the call rather than assuming every customer is lieing they would see I didn’t refuse it.
DO MOT THINK THE DWP IS THERE TO HELP YOU, IF THEY SPOT THE SLIFHTEST MISTAKE THEY WILL BE ONTOP OF YOU FOREVER TO STOP EVERY SINGLE PENNY.
I used to work for the pension service DWP, the backlog in the department was 18months+ you are given documents, applications etc, then given a specific time to complete, its disgusting, i was dealing with paper work that had been lost, sent to wrong address, wrong person, wrong department, the whole office was a shambles, the people who work there are like drones, told what to do by a system or a manager, then most people lost they jobs due to government cutbacks, there wasn’t enough people there to deal with the back logs, now everything is supposed to be done online to stop things from get misplaced etc…..yet its still a shambles, the government needs to put funds towards the DWP to sort out the backlog and many many complaints, mistakes etc… David Cameron ruined the DWP just like he’s ruined the country ….. Rip Paul another forgotten member of this country……
disguting they have no care or concern for people ,
An absolute disgrace in this day and age.
RIP
R.I..P Paul, very sad, i was put through same for 2yrs & felt i was actually having a mental breakdown,an unrelated need to obtain proof of benefit i was recieving was the only reason i finally got a result to recieve my benefit after all i had tried & that was through a phone call through my solicitor whom was told i was owed a substantial amount & hadnt been paid due to not having my bank details(which is rubbish & child benefit was always paid ) & i never recieved any letter to request any information to this, yet a few days later i finally had payment but only for 1yr of the 2yrs.no apology or any explanation at all not even to state why i was recieving the amount i did but i am to struggle everyday still for the debt that had built up during those 2yrs & the isolation i was forced to bare, i cannot get a response as to why i was only paid for 12 mth & now my benefit as been sanctioned to £16.98 a wk due to my failing to find the place they say i must ,to attend a work related activity plan interview that would take upto 3hrs in a town i am not at all familiar with (I HAVE RARELY LEFT MY HOME OR BEEN INTO MY OWN TOWN FOR 2YRS,when i finally was able to so much had changed it was strange) i have tried though i even managed to find a work related office doing the same interview but was turned away as im not on there list they phoned where i was still to find to say i was at there building & i was passed a amended appointment to take place same time following wk, but they could not help to direct me to where this was even though its located in same town somewhere,so i could not have the fares paid to attend refunded either, this as been going on for mnths now since may 2013 i am struggling with a 13yr old that needs clothing as what hes got he s out grown causing many problems on its own, & today i recieve a new appointment for a time after school knowing i have no child care or any one to offer me help & im simply told my housing benefit will be stopped if i dont attend &for the life of me i cant find the help i need im being set up to fail & am left unable to pay the fares to attend now anyway every waking moment getting harder as debt builds again due to being sanctioned. WHAT AM I TO DO?
Go to your local MP…….tell them what’s happening to you….hope your troubles are resolved soon!
Thankyou for your reply, i will try the advice you have given me i hope it brings my troubles a resolve too as i cannot manage as i have for much longer.
kind regards
Anjie Hook.
Wot shame my brother in law mentally ill they have stopped his muny twice till goes tribuneral n because he turned up his self he didn’t qualify they are not even doctors or Neva heard th illness but tuk him off ESA even though his doctor doesn’t reckon he shud be off it all to make them look like they saved muny but not thinking bowt th people they leavin wif no muny three months this government joke just tryin to destroy everything laubour gave us same Margaret thachter get th owt they don’t care bowt us just how gud they look on Election Day takin off pensioners and children and disabled people joke bk to poverty they makin people on benefits look bad by tv programs which is just couple people that make people on benefits look bad why not put normall people on who look after there kids spend muny in them a know am voting laubour next time they shudnt ov even been able to put votes together cheating is wot it is laubour shud won fare square they care more bowt people than makin there selfs beta would they leave there family’s wif nothing for months no they Wudnt get them owt now people’s choice xxx
This is a disgusting way to treat human beings!! Im a 29 yr old single parent and am currently receiving the same poor service and lack of benefits from ESA since November. . Just cant continue this way any longer!!!! R.I.P PAUL XX
This is disgusting how this poor man was left to die, god rest his sole, its as bad as manslaughter if not murder these people know what there doing to us with are money, ive even just googled new world order involving president abama,how this plan to cripple are econemy make people week and lock down and take back new world order if we fight it we face death or prison omg shocking its murder no mater who you are its wrong to take a life no matter who you are or how you do it! Sad to say but to the government were just an over populated number they want to reduce and have by ways that are evil slow n callous! But to us he was some ones son, farther, grand farther a human being a man that didn’t deserve to die like this so sad
as usuall the system in this country don’t give dam about there own
Rip Paul. So sad that nobody could feed you or keep you warm in this day and age. The ATOS bastards, who oversee the DWP, are a French company who don’t even like the English for starters. The Health Care Professional I got is a registered nurse, who was very nasty and intimidating. Her recording of events at the so called medical assessment were incorrect, they were then sent to the decision makers! who incidentally! have no qualifications whatsoever, no medical background whatsoever! and going off her false report I was taken off ESA. ATOS and the DWP do not dispute that I am indeed ill, however their nurse says I’m fit for work and that stands. Feking arseholes. I hope she gets every illnesses I have with knobs on and all of those twats in Parliament too. Paul is sadly not the only one who has died through Ian Duncan Smiths new rules and Paul will certainly will not be the last. (edited)
This is such a sad story about Paul, but It doesn’t surprise me one bit. I am sure we will here a lot more of these tragedies, probably lots more that we wont get to hear about. I work hard, and I have a fairly well paid job, I still find it a struggle to pay bills, and have almost forgotten what a pay rise is, but my biggest beef is how much our government take the piss out of us. Why are so many speed traps popping up everywhere, I hear stories of people getting done for speeding at 32-33 miles an hour in a 30 zone, I do agree we must tow the line, but their just after our money, they now offer you to sit an exam, (pay double the fine) and get no points. what happened to a bit of lee-way, robbing bastards, apparently they took over 590 million pounds from these related incidents, get real you need one eye on the road and one on the speed dial, I think doing a few miles over the limit is safer don’t you. Paul I don’t know you, but the likes of us, (good honest people) just get shit on again and again, if I was you I would haunt every one of them before you rest in peace. god bless you .
We are still waiting for money to be payed in from October 2013, we are living on my panson , we have worked all our days , I at 62 will have to go back to work ,we are looking after a baby ,my husband as been ill , and trying to get any money from benefits as made us both unwell !!! They have lost his papers so many times , the last ones we sent recorded ,not herd any thing for weeks ,we will be ring yet again in the morning !!
Which ever way you want to look at it THIS MANS COUNTRY ABANDONED HIM.FULL STOP.CHRISTIAN AND DEMOCRATIC BRITAIN DON’T MAKE ME LAUGH.MONEY,GREED,ME MYSELF AND I AND BEGGAR MY FELLOW COUNTRY MEN.BUT I WILL SEND A TENNER TO OXFAM FOR PEOPLE ABROAD.CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME.WE ARE A ROTTEN COUNTRY.
so sad this history……
david cameron and cohorts should RESIGN now…… let the rich pay their dues and leave the poor alone,,,,,R I P Paul x
Very sad indeed. For them to leave this poor man without funds is bloody ridiculous. You can bet if they had over paid him a penny they would be on him like a ton of bricks.
R.I, P Paul…its a disgrace this government have blood on their hands.
my condolences to his friends and family..god bless..
Just a thought, this ‘friend’ that went to pick up his money couldn’t have lent him a few pounds here and there until he got it through?
Please follow the link to the daily mirror report on this (at the top of this page), before you make judgmental comments based on guesswork.
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My brother was taken off sick and told he wasn’t ill enough in the February and had to sign jobseekers from Feb to July 25 when he was told by the guy he had to report too that he shouldn’t be signing on because he looked to ill. He filled in a form for sickness benefit or what ever its called now, and sent a sick note with it. He was lay in a hospital bed, weighing 4 stone , was to weak to even lift himself up, worrying about his rent because when jobseekers had signed him off the Housing benefit was stopped and the council sent him letters saying they would evict him. I have to say the council when I explained were really helpful and sympathetic. I told him he didn’t have to worry about his rent that I had sorted it out. He died 10 minutes later, that was in the September and he hadn’t had a penny off the DWP. I am disgusted with this government. I hope I die working because I never want to ask this bloody government for anything.
(edited)
Sorry but this has nothing to do with the government. DWP etc operate on their own as does the HMRC.
They did the same to me, and it was only with the help of my local MP Philip Davis Cons and his wife that it got sorted. The country was then getting run by the workingman’s party the LABOUR PARTY, who by the way emptied the bank.
The DWP operates on its own under very tight targets from the government, and its job is administering government policy. In what sense does this have nothing to do with the Government? The government has cut staff numbers in the DWP whilst imposing massive changes in the system, so that there are huge delays in everything. In what sense does this have nothing to do with the government?
Sorry Andrew, but the Labour Party did not empty the bank. But, I agree with your anger at the last government for following Mrs Thatcher’s line with regard to the overall running of the country. The poor are now paying for the mistakes of the bankers and the rest of the feckless capitalist class. Just like the yanks, we have socialism for the rich, and capitalism for the rest.
he has no friends willing to help him out? no family? surely the blame shouldn’t fall squarely on the government and error’s and mistakes that led up to his death 14 weeks family and friends watched as someone they new slowly died? 14 weeks they didn’t visit Paul to check he was alright? they weren’t willing to spare a little money whatever comforts he needed to stay alive… something fishy there…
why would you say theres something fishy? you clearly have not been unfortunate to find yourself in the same situation & even if you had its hard to ask anyone to help especially friends & family as they too are struggling to get by, but when you have no idea when or if your able to pay it back & knowing manageable bills that we all are topay in our weekly budget but not when your benefit as suddenly been stopped & those bills are fast to build when you miss1 of them thats the start of another problem that is soon a debt that you cant sort out properly when youve no sign of being paid & your friends start to drift as your the one thats become like a needy leech, & thats only the start of what your to deal with , you want to count your blessings that you havnt found yourself in this situation but karma may come a knocking, to teach a lesson,only then will you think twice to make his situation seem somehow dodgy love….
For the people in this thread asking why Paul was not helped by his friends or family, think a bit harder.
Many people in this country do not have a family. Many people do not have any friends. Relocation, substance addiction, mental ill health or the sheer isolation of grinding poverty maybe coupled with a physical illness or a disability are sure fire ways of ending up isolated and without recourse to friends who may have some spare cash to help you out.
There is also the important matter of dignity. Paul may not have been able to ask for help from those who he had contact with.
The friend who was helping Paul by going to the bank for him may have no money either, nor a spare bedroom to have offered Paul.
In my experience it’s the people who have very little who are the most likely to offer their help to others.
RIP Paul, you are not forgotten.
Of course you would find this in a Labour Paper, but this is the fault of his local payment office.
The conditions at the local payment office are determined by government cuts and government policy. These are massive changes, every disability claimant to be reassessed onto new benefits. The government that thought this could be brought in whilst simultaneously reducing staff and funding at the DWP is fully responsible for the huge administrative mess the DWP now finds itself in. Disengenious to blame the individual payment office.
Why does everybody only ever whine on their facebook profiles and wordpress, that hardly anybody reads? The Tories have whole TV channels and newspapers to spread their propaganda. You have to bombard the mainstream news to make any difference.
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I attended an atos esa tribunal on thurs 30-1-13 I failed my appeal so I’m presuming my money will get stopped straight away I haven’t any other money coming in thing is I’m due to go into hospitall for an operation for surgery in two weeks time I’m thinking I might have to delay my operation as I need to get this sorted I can’t claim job seekers as I am having a knee replacement so wudent be eligable what do I do for money
Get straight on to the housing benefit people and inform them of your change in circumstances, so there is no gap in your housing benefit. The tribunal could only consider your condition at the time of your assessment. Things have changed now, so you can reapply for ESA, if your original application was over 6 months ago. If you can get to the job centre, take in a sick note from the doctor and explain about the operation and tell them you need to reapply for ESA. Best of luck.
Im in 13 weeks of ESA and i havent gotten the assesment rate as im in the 6 month rule of reaplying.
i was on esa but was offered a job so i thought i would give it a go, it made my condition worse so i applied 5 months after i gave up esa …i was stupid enough to go back to work it seems.
now im waiting for my medical, i cant afford my medication, i get food from mates and sometimes the five finger discounts.
ive told dwp that i have suicidal thoughts but they brush it aside like im scum.
i have dystonia
post truamtic stress
sever depression
suicidal tendancies
a cavernous haemangioma on my brain which bleeds leavng me with seziuers, unable to walk or talk at least once or twice a week …more or less the same as a stroke or brain hemmorage…but ATOS say its not there problem and dwp say there is nothing they can do til my medical..
oh the joys of beeing ill
Typical of this evil Tory government who just laugh at the ill and poor they only look after the rich and themselves and take the piss out or rest of us !there too busy lining there own pockets with backhands,ie expenses to claim for rent mortgages and energy bills meals in fancy restaurants while poor go to food banks there scum these Tory bastards
iain Duncan smith is to blame for this yet again that little Nazi rat is behind this he should be hung along with Cameron and Osborne and danny alexander ,no wonder Scotland are going to vote for independence the torys are greedy vermin that has no care for anyone but themselves hope wales and northern Ireland do the same enough is enough.
Reblogged this on Citizens, not serfs.
Wasn’t that one of Hitler’s tricks? Bullying the disabled and mentally ill, typical tories, no back bone to stand up to the bastards who caused this financial mess not mention them using the right wing press to divide and conquer the less well off, the sooner we get these heartless bastards out the better.
If you lot put as much effort into getting better as you do moaning about money you seem to think its your god given right to have, then very few of you would have an issue. Count yourselves lucky you live in a country that even has a benefit system. Free money for being lazy cretins.
Some people love a good whinge, some are telling the truth. That is life.
A harsh reality is that consecutive governments of various parties have allowed the system to be abused and it has been. There are an awful lot of workshy people on JSA along with a big chunk of totally unemployable. There are a lot of fraudulent ESA claims, an awful lot. But, and it is a big but, there are an awful lot of people who are genuine umemployed and looking for work and a lot of genuine sick people out there. It is easy to dismiss them when so many others are taking the mickey. And those that do take the mickey do a massive disservice to those who genuinely need help.
From any point of view the government needs to crack down on the fraud, it costs us all. Taxpayers who currently fund the system and those that need the system would both benefit. Think how much cash would be available for extra services if the fraudulent claims were tossed out. People like Paul might then get the help they need instead of being drowned by the system.
There is though one certain thing though and that is ATOS is not fit for purpose!
My brother broke his back in 3 places in June of last year. Applied for pip 07/06/13. He passed away on 01/07/14 and his payment went through on 09/07/14. I am Scottish with loads of lovely English relatives, but I will be voting YES.
Rip my daughter just got a new house they told her she cudnt get na money unless she gave up her college course so she did then she sed we had to atop claiming for her so we did its five months down line she hasnt had nothin they gave all different excuses why she cudnt get paid she in debt for water rates there is no people that can help her and she cant get nothin for five months they have paid her now but havent back dated it she had everything goon for her college apprentiship now she has no job and debt no council packs nothin its all our kids even workin peoples kids so why do people pay taxs this conuntry jike poverty thats wot government want while they love high life wif our taxs fukin joke tbey shud be dun for murder wot they done paul xxxx
I’m going thru hell on earth at the minute. My father died in 2011 and left an inheritance .I spent it as I thought it was mine to spend .I paid of a large amount of debt .I had a good job but lost it through illness. So when the money got so low I was worried I wasn’t going to pay rent and food I applied for benefit they said no because I had unlawfully spent my inheritance .dragged me through court had to give every receipt of everything bought I got a holiday for my children and got them stuff they’d never ghad did a lot for friend why cos I could .no the government said I spent it illegally to apply for benefits ehh who in their right mind would want to live on benefits if they had some moneyim sanctioned now till 2016 .from getting help .I’ve now lost my job again thru illness I have nothing and can’t get benefits I’ve been to mps even written to jack vettriano .no one can help me I’m not asking for the world only some help to help me pay my rent till I’m well enough to work again .no they want to make me homeless I can’t take my daughter with me as she’s 17 .homeless can’t help I’m not on benefits .what am I to do ??????
I hope they called to the haig to answer for their crimes against their own
peoples they hide the facts away of how many have died by their policys
if that number realy came out there could be riots by the poor but abuse
they have dealt out to those who couldnt through their cuts sanctions and
denial of benefits drove many to suicide or just give up will they get to stand
infront of a judge I dearly hope do jeff3
My husband was told before xmas his esa was stopped after a so called attos medical!!! He has multi illness had a stroke 4 wks before the medical.since the start of the year had xray if neck.leg and has to get a mmri for his spine cervical and hes fit for work.i told the dwp he is appealing we have had no money since 2nd December .I emailed no 10 downing street which I ve had 2 email’s .letter and phone call .telling me that they are dealing with this ;which I m waiting in anticipation ;in the meantime I m appealing with help from money matters .I ve got medical evidence from doctors which attos dont ask for!!!I ve got the sunday mail doing a story to expose there witchhunt if ill people.
You must ask for a mandatory reconsideration within one month of the decision. Send copies of your medical evidence (not originals). Best of luck
Plz can you get intouch with me I want to publish how badly iv been treated by DWP and I’m so so upset about it
I have sent you an email
listen to all those on the esa dla pip benefits there are sites to help you www. dsiel.org is one were one can find advice on how to fight back against this evil government there are still far to many like bob above who wont or cant believes that a government cant be this cruel against its own peoples hmm open your eyes see there are loads of evidence of this governments cruel regime see mo stewart write on this but until the vast amount of peoples wake up to the fact we are being culled under ther aktion t4 nah you don’t believe it then those who ill disabled mentaly ill even those unemployed will suffer under they rule