London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Jodey Whiting: Disabled woman's suicide 'a direct result' of benefit cut

Jodey Whiting: Disabled woman's suicide 'a direct result' of benefit cut

A disabled woman's suicide was "a direct result" of having her benefits cut, the High Court has been told.

Jodey Whiting, 42, from Stockton-on-Tees, died in 2017, days after her payments were halted because she missed a work capability assessment.

Her mother, Joy Dove, wants a new inquest to examine the role of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in her death.

Ms Whiting's original inquest lasted just 37 minutes.

It concluded she had taken her own life but Ms Dove's lawyers argued there were "multiple, significant failings" by the DWP that were not considered.

Teesside and Hartlepool Coroner's Service is responding to the claim, with the government department allowed to make limited arguments after it made a last-minute bid to join the case.

Joy Dove has taken her bid for a second inquest to the High Court

The High Court heard Ms Whiting had received disability benefits for more than 10 years due to serious, long-term physical and mental health issues including severe pain and a history of self-harm.

Barrister Jesse Nicholls said she had told the DWP she was having suicidal thoughts "a lot of the time".

Mr Nicholls said that when the department was reassessing Ms Whiting there was "no evidence" it had seriously considered her request for a house visit, despite her being housebound with severe anxiety and unable to walk more than a few steps.

Ms Whiting had told the DWP she was in hospital and had not received a letter about the assessment.

Ms Dove later found the unopened letter at her daughter's home.

'Suicidal thoughts'


Ms Whiting's employment and support allowance was ended on 6 February 2017 which led to her housing benefit and council tax benefit also being terminated, the High Court heard.

She was found dead at her home two weeks later.

Mr Nicholls said there was "a direct link between her suicidal thoughts and her being unable to cope if her benefits were terminated".

When the support payments stopped "she felt unable to cope and she killed herself, and the DWP had been told, by her, about that risk," he said.

The DWP's decision to terminate Ms Whiting's benefit was overturned five weeks after her death.

An independent inquiry found the department breached its own rules and that there were significant errors by its staff. It has been ordered to apologise and pay £10,000 compensation.

Mr Nicholls told the court the inquest did not consider whether the way Ms Whiting's benefits were cut "caused or contributed to her death" and the coroner had not seen the independent report.

He said it was possible a different conclusion could be reached at a fresh inquest.

'Matter of speculation'


Jonathan Hough QC, for the coroner's service, said sufficient evidence had been called to address how Ms Whiting died.

"It is unquestionable that the failures of DWP staff were serious and indefensible but that does not mean that the first inquest was inadequate," he told the court.

In written arguments he said the coroner accepted the government's decision to withdraw benefits contributed to Ms Whiting's low mood but it was "a matter of speculation" whether it caused her to take her own life.

The hearing before Lord Justice Warby, Mrs Justice Farbey and the chief coroner for England and Wales, Judge Thomas Teague QC, will hear the DWP's arguments on Wednesday.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×