DWP Admits 60 Claimant Deaths May Be Suicides

Diana R. Johnson MP,

The government has admitted that dozens of deaths may be due to suicides linked to PIP’s reassessments, it admitted under questioning from Labour MP Diana Johnson.

Work and Pensions Minister Damian Hinds confirmed the government has carried out internal reviews relating to 60 deaths over the last five years.

The response came after a written parliamentary question from Ms Diana Johnson MP, who argued  there is a clear link between suicide and welfare reassessments something that has been belived by many for some time. 

The Hull North MP said she was “appalled” that the figures had been unpublished until now.

“Ministers have repeatedly claimed there to be no link between suicide and welfare reassessment whenever figures have come to light,” she said.

“If there was no link, there wouldn’t have been 60 reviews of suicides in the past five years.

“Families who’ve been left in the dark need to know everything the DWP knows about these cases.” said Ms Johnson. 

Last year the Disability News Service successfully appealed to a tribunal that internal reviews be made public. There has been widespread concern about the way these reviews are being carried out with many people claiming they are just designed to stop money to claimants, particularly those with disability issues and mental health problems.

Another example of this treatment by the DWP is that of painter Mark Hayes who died after being repeatedly refused benefits and told he was fit to work. The Department for Work and Pensions only accepted Mark Hayes should have been entitled to support after his death. "Mark had lost the use of his hands. He couldn’t even hold his own baby daughter.” said his girlfriend Louise Aldous.

Mr Hayes, 48, died of a brain haemorrhage in 2013. His illnesses included liver failure and immobility through three metal plates in his legs and hips. Despite needing full-time care from Lucinda, painter Mark repeatedly failed disability benefit tests.

Image: David Hayes.