We respond to second inquest into death of Jodey Whiting

A coroner has ruled that the death of a disabled woman was precipitated by the Department of Work and Pensions withdrawing her benefits. 

Jodey Whiting took her own life in 2017 after her benefits were cut when she failed to attend an appointment due to being seriously unwell and in hospital. 

This is the second inquest into the death of Jodey, following years of campaigning by her mother Joy Dove, who has worked with Rethink Mental Illness as part of its Stop Benefit Deaths campaign. The first inquest did not examine the role of the DWP. 

Mark Winstanley, Chief Executive of Rethink Mental Illness, said:

“Our thoughts are with Jodey Whiting’s family today. Her mother Joy Dove has campaigned tirelessly for years, but she has had to fight to get answers and accountability around the DWP failures which precipitated Jodey’s death. Although Jodey died in 2017, harmful benefit sanctions and a punitive approach continue to this day, leading to the severe harm and deaths of people living with severe mental illness. The pace of change within the DWP remains too slow and continues to fail those who most need support. We urge the government to heed the calls of campaigners and build a social security system which is fair and compassionate. This must include introducing a legal duty for the DWP to safeguard vulnerable claimants, so that no other disabled person comes to harm.”