Reviews into 150 deaths and serious harms of people claiming benefits
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The Government has reviewed 150 cases of death or serious harm among people who were claiming benefits.
An investigation by the BBC Shared Data Unit has shown there were 144 internal reviews carried out by the DWP between 2012 and July, 2019 - when Justin Thompson MP, then Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work said an additional six reviews would be “conducted shortly”.
BBC News
By Alex Homer
image copyrightFamily handout
image captionPhilippa Day (pictured left with her sister Imogen) took a fatal overdose and died in October 2019
The family of a woman who took a fatal overdose after her benefit payments were cut say they have begun a legal claim against the government.
Philippa Day, 27, was found collapsed at her Nottingham home beside a letter rejecting her request for an at-home benefits assessment in August 2019.
It comes amid calls for a wider inquiry into the Department for Work & Pensions handling of cases.
The DWP said: When, sadly, there is a tragic case we take it very seriously.
More than 250 teens in Tendring stripped of disability benefits after 16th birthday More than 250 children in Tendring were stripped of disability benefits after their 16th birthday, figures show. More than two in five young people who claimed Disability Living Allowance in childhood failed to qualify for the adult version of the benefit, Personal Independence Payment. Disability charity Scope said the number of young people losing disability benefits at 16 was unacceptable and said the PIP assessment process was fundamentally flawed and in need of an overhaul. Around 330 young claimants in the area - 50% - saw their benefit award rates increase or stay the same after moving to PIP but 276 had their awards withdrawn, according to data from the Department of Work and Pensions.
The family of a woman who took her own life after her benefit payments were cut have began legal proceedings against the government.
Phillippa Day was found collapsed in her home in Nottingham in August 2019 with a letter beside her rejecting her request for an at-home benefits assessment.
The 27-year-old single mother was taken to hospital but never regained consciousnesses and died after two months in a coma.
Leigh Day, who represents Ms Day s family, have sent a letter of claim on the family s behalf to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Capita, the company engaged to carry out the PIP assessment.
By Joanna Morris, Data Reporter
Department for work and pensions sign. HUNDREDS of children in Denbighshire were stripped of disability benefits after their 16th birthday, figures show. More than two in five young people who claimed Disability Living Allowance in childhood failed to qualify for the adult version of the benefit, Personal Independence Payment. Disability charity Scope said the number of young people losing disability benefits at 16 was unacceptable and said the PIP assessment process was fundamentally flawed and in need of an overhaul. Around 269 young claimants in the area - 46% - saw their benefit award rates increase or stay the same after moving to PIP but 250 had their awards withdrawn, according to data from the Department of Work and Pensions.