The DWP have confirmed that they will not change their decision to refuse to provide information on vulnerable claimant deaths. As a result the issue has, once again, been referred to the Information Commissioner’s Office(ICO).{jcomments on}

Disability News Service discovered last year that the DWP had carried out secret reviews into the deaths of 49 claimants. The DWP have refused to publish details of those reviews.

In June of this year Benefits and Work made a freedom of information request asking:

a) How many of the 49 claimants whose deaths were peer reviewed were ESA claimants who were, or had recently been, on the work programme.

b) How many of these were deemed to be vulnerable claimants in relation to ‘safeguarding’ procedures.

However, while the DWP admit that they hold this information, they refuse to hand it over.

We asked for a review of the decision. But the DWP repeatedly missed deadlines and ignored our emails.

It was only when we took the matter to the ICO that the DWP carried out a review of their decision. The result of this review was a confirmation that they would not give us the information.

Benefits and Work has once again asked the ICO for a ruling on this issue.

We’ll keep readers informed.

Comments

Write comments...
or post as a guest
Loading comment... The comment will be refreshed after 00:00.

Be the first to comment.

Free PIP, ESA & UC Updates!

Delivered Fortnightly

Over 110,000 claimants and professionals subscribe to the UK's leading source of benefits news.

 
iContact
We use cookies

We use cookies on our website. Some of them are essential for the operation of the site, while others help us to improve this site and the user experience (tracking cookies). You can decide for yourself whether you want to allow cookies or not. Please note that if you reject them, you may not be able to use all the functionalities of the site.