David Brown, 18 was under ‘immense pressure’ from the Department of Work and Pensions who were going to stop benefits unless he did more to find work as welder. A football fan who desperately wanted a job took his own life after being ‘belittled’ by Job Centre staff, his inquest heard. David Brown, 18, seeking […]
Stop-PIP.org – episode 1. The DWP need to know what they are doing to people.
Source: I got my letter through, it just pressed a switch, and I attempted to kill myself
Originally posted on DWPExamination.: Jennifer tried to commit suicide after the DWP threatened to stop her benefits. JENNIFER told how she tried to commit suicide after the DWP threatened to stop her benefits. She said: “I got my letter through and it just pressed a switch an I attempted to kill myself. “With the old…
The increasing death toll due to the loss of benefits
This is an updated list of the people who we know to have died as a result of their benefits being taken away. This is only the people whose families have come forward or who have had benefit losses noted by a coroner as responsible for their death.
If you are feeling suicidal yourself, I advise you not to read this list. Contact the Samaritans on their free phone number 116 123
Source: The increasing death toll due to the loss of benefits
The government has secretly made major changes to guidance given to “fitness for work” benefits assessors that has put the lives of thousands of disabled claimants at risk… and then “lied” about what it had done.
The changes appear to show ministers made a calculation last year that it was worth risking the loss of some lives in order to cut benefits spending and force more disabled people into their discredited back-to-work programmes.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) could now face legal action over its decision to bring in the changes without seeking approval from parliament.
read more here: http://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/dwp-issued-guidance-that-made-suicides-more-likely-then-lied-to-cover-its-tracks/
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) guidelines are encouraging assessors to consider the “benefit” that employment can have for claimants at risk of suicide who would otherwise be marked unfit for work.
Earlier this month, the government released figures that show the amount of successful applications to Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has been falling from the start of the year.
According to a DWP spokesperson, this is nothing out of the ordinary:
We expected the proportion of claimants placed in the Support Group to fall as the backlog of new claims reduced, due to fewer claims leaving the benefit before reaching their Work Capability Assessment.ut this drop must be considered in light of the changes in guidance that came into effect at the start of 2016.
Previously, guidance for the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) advised that someone who is a suicide risk should be placed in the Support Group. This is the higher level of benefit, for those who are severely disabled and cannot work.
Now, the guidance says something different entirely:
If you conclude that finding a claimant fit for work would trigger risk of suicide or self-harm then you need to consider whether there are factors that would mitigate the risk if the claimant were found fit for work.
According to the WCA Handbook, these factors include whether the risk to physical or mental health is “substantial”, whether the benefits of employment outweigh the potential risks, and whether “reasonable workplace adjustments or prescribed medication” could reduce the risk.
Specifically, it says:
Remember that there is good evidence that people in work have better health outcomes and are at lower risk of suicide.
Read more here: http://evolvepolitics.com/suicidal-dwp-wants-go-back-work/
The sister of a man driven to suicide by the “fitness for work” system tried to take her own life after being “treated like a criminal” by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) over her benefit claims.
Eleanor Donnachie believes her brother Paul (pictured) was a victim of DWP’s failure to ensure the safety of people with mental health conditions in vulnerable situations who apply for employment and support allowance (ESA) through the work capability assessment (WCA) system.
read more here: http://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/fit-for-work-suicide-mans-sister-tried-to-take-her-own-life-after-dwp-ordeal/
