A second inquest into the death of Jodey Whiting has finally been held and has found that failings by the DWP “precipitated” her death.
Many readers will have followed Jodey’s mother, Joy Dove’s, years long battle to get the truth about her daughter’s death acknowledged.
Jodey died in February 2017. Her ESA had been stopped after she failed to attend a work capability assessment.
Jodey had been seriously ill with pneumonia, had been receiving treatment for a cyst on the brain and was taking strong painkillers. Nonetheless, she had been refused a home assessment for her ESA and failed to open the appointment letter for a WCA at an assessment centre.
As a result, her benefits were stopped.
The Independent Case Examiner later found that the DWP failed five times to follow its own safeguarding procedures.
Yet an inquest into Jodey’s death lasted less than an hour and failed to even look at the part the DWP played in the tragedy.
After years of struggling by Joy Dove, the Court of Appeal finally ordered a new inquest so that both Jodey’s family and the general public would have an opportunity to find out what role the DWP’s failings had in her death.
That hearing took place today and coroner Clare Bailey, recorded a conclusion of suicide which, she said, had been precipitated by the mistaken withdrawal of benefits by the DWP.
However, the coroner held that she had heard of many changes and new structures at the DWP which left her satisfied that no wider recommendations were needed.
Joy Dove said “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.
Merry Varney, partner at law firm Leigh Day, who represented Joy, added:
“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.”
Read the full story in the Guardian
