Fit for work to R.I.P.

Labour’s Debbie Abrahams spent almost three minutes reading out more than 20 names of those affected, and referred to how some died after ‘taking (his/her) own life after being found fit for work’ or through illness after losing their benefits. At one stage, colleagues intervened to give Ms Abrahams time to compose herself and finish the list.

She went on: ‘Peer-reviewed research published by the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health estimated that between 2010 and 2013 work capability assessment was independently associated with an additional 590 suicides, 280,000 cases of self-reported mental health problems and 725,000 additional anti-depressant scripts.

Errol Graham died in 2018 weighing just 4.5 stone, eight months after his Employment and Support Allowance was stopped after he missed a work capability assessment

Jimmy Ballentine took his own life in 2018 after being found fit for work

Amy Nice also took her own life in 2018 after being found fit for work

Kevin Dooley committed suicide in 2018 after losing ESA

Brian Bailey died in July 2018, again taking his own life after being found fit for work

Elaine Morrall died in November 2017, taking her own life Daniella Obeng died in December 2017, again taking her own life

Brian Sycamore died in September 2017, taking his own life after leaving a note blaming the DWP after failing his work capability assessment

Mark Scholfield, who died in July 2017, was a terminal cancer patient who did not receive any [Universal Credit] before he died in spite of his illness

Chris Gold, who died in October 2017, was found fit for work following a stroke and was facing foreclosure when he died because he could not work

Lawrence Bond collapsed and died in the street in January 2017 after being found fit for work

Julia Kelly died in 2015, taking her own life after losing ESA for a third time

Ben McDonald took his own life in March 2015 after being found fit for work

Chris Smith, who died in 2015, had cancer and was found fit for work despite a terminal diagnosis

David Clapson could not afford to power his fridge to store his insulin and died as a result in July 2014

Michael Connolly took his own life on his birthday in 2014 after losing his ESA

George from Chesterfield died of a heart attack in May 2014, eight months after being found fit for work despite having had three previous heart attacks

Robert Barlow died of cancer in April 2014 after losing his ESA

David Barr died in September 2014, taking his own life after losing ESA

Trevor Drakard took his own life in 2014.

Shaun Pilkington died in January 2014

Terry McGarvey died in February 2014

RIP

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