Rethink Mental Illness welcomes fresh inquest into Jodey Whiting's death

Jodey Whiting took her own life in 2017, shortly after her disability benefits were stopped. Her mother Joy Dove has won an appeal for a fresh inquest to examine failings by the Department for Work and Pensions. 

Brian Dow, Deputy Chief Executive of Rethink Mental Illness, said:

“The benefits system is supposed to be a safety net, protecting those of us who are too unwell to work. Instead, it is too often a cause of distress and harm in disabled people’s lives, including those living with mental illness. We welcome today’s ruling that there should be a fresh inquest into Jodey’s death, a result hard-won by her mother Joy’s tireless campaigning. We hope that the inquest will provide the family with the answers they deserve, while holding the Department for Work and Pensions accountable, establishing their role in Jodey’s death and helping determine the lessons which must be learned. Recognising that this case is sadly very far from being an isolated incident, we also want to see a public inquiry to fully determine the wider harm that has been caused by the Department for Work and Pensions, followed up by concrete action to protect disabled people's lives.”