Mother of Stockton woman who took her own life after her benefits were cut says she won't stop fighting
The mother of a Stockton woman, who took her own life after her benefits were cut - says this will happen again, if major changes to the system aren't made
The mother of a Stockton woman, who took her own life after her benefits were cut - says this will happen again, if major changes to the system aren't made
Yesterday - a long awaited 2nd inquest into the death of 42 year old Jodey Whiting found her death was caused by suicide, because of mental health issues due to the removal of her benefits by the DWP - who ruled her fit to work despite major health issues.
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to remove Ms Whiting's benefits found that a number of mistakes had been made, that her payments should not have been withdrawn and it recommended that the DWP pay £10,000 to her family.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."
Joy Dove, mother of Jodey Whiting, said following the conclusion of her inquest today:
“It has been over eight years since we lost our Jodey, but she is with us every day. Her family misses her terribly. Jodey’s family was her life and she loved her babies – her nine children - and her six grandchildren more than anything in the world.
“I have always believed that Jodey took her life due to failings by the DWP and today
the coroner has confirmed that the mistakes made by the DWP in the way they handled Jodey’s case caused to her death.
“It should not have taken an eight-year fight for justice to get to 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.
“It is clear from the coroner’s conclusion that had the DWP followed their own protocols at the time of Jodey’s death then her benefits would not have been terminated, causing her so much distress she felt she had no way out.
“I am grateful to the coroner for their thorough examination of the circumstances surrounding Jodey’s death. To get the conclusion I have been fighting so long for means the world to me and Jodey’s family. I have always known that the failings of the DWP led to Jodey’s death and that has now been confirmed by this inquest.
“We have heard that since the ICE report the DWP has and continues to make improvements and I hope that these new measures will help safeguard other unwell and disabled people like my Jodey to ensure no others are ever treated so badly, left humiliated and ashamed through no fault of their own and then ignored and dismissed when they are trying to do everything right to make sure they can get the vital support they need.
“It is not just me who has been fighting for justice for Jodey, my whole family has been beside me. I have also had many other families in similar situations reach out to me and support me too.
“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. People struggling with their mental health should be treated with compassion and understanding. They might not always fit neatly into the procedures of organisations like the DWP but it is vital that mental health is understood in every policy and considered before every significant decision that affect someone’s welfare and livelihood.”
Merry Varney, partner at law firm Leigh Day, who represented Joy, added:
“Joy and her family have had to fight for eight years to have the cause of their beloved Jodey’s death properly recognised. That cause – the same cause in the deaths of many others – Pip, David, Errol, Stephen, Michael, Kristie and many more –is the DWP.
“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. Joy, through her battle to get this second inquest and recognition of the DWP’s causative role in her daughter’s death, has not only secured justice for Jodey but shone a light for many others that must now lead to change to prevent further deaths and families broken by the acts and omissions of the DWP.”
The Department for Work And Pensions (DWP) have said they are deeply sorry and have a deeper focus and understanding on mental health and vulnerabilities now.