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DWP staff given suicide guidance ahead of Iain Duncan Smith's welfare reforms | DWP staff given suicide guidance ahead of Iain Duncan Smith's welfare reforms |
(4 months later) | |
Frontline staff at the Department for Work and Pensions have been given guidance on how to deal with suicidal benefit claimants, it has been reported. | Frontline staff at the Department for Work and Pensions have been given guidance on how to deal with suicidal benefit claimants, it has been reported. |
The Sunday Herald newspaper says workers have been handed a six-point plan on how to deal with people denied benefits who appear to be suicidal. | The Sunday Herald newspaper says workers have been handed a six-point plan on how to deal with people denied benefits who appear to be suicidal. |
Staff at call centres have been instructed to allow rejected claimants for Universal Credit to talk about their intention to kill themselves. | Staff at call centres have been instructed to allow rejected claimants for Universal Credit to talk about their intention to kill themselves. |
A DWP spokesman did not deny that the guidance had been handed out, and said: “Our frontline Jobcentre staff work hard every day supporting people to find jobs and it is only right we provide a range of training and guidance to assist them in their work.” | A DWP spokesman did not deny that the guidance had been handed out, and said: “Our frontline Jobcentre staff work hard every day supporting people to find jobs and it is only right we provide a range of training and guidance to assist them in their work.” |
The guidance may be a reaction to suggestions that welfare changes and decisions are increasingly being linked to suicides. | The guidance may be a reaction to suggestions that welfare changes and decisions are increasingly being linked to suicides. |
A damning report by MPs released in March of this year found that severe financial hardship caused by benefit cuts was driving people to kill themselves. | A damning report by MPs released in March of this year found that severe financial hardship caused by benefit cuts was driving people to kill themselves. |
The Work and Pensions Select Committee said 40 people had taken their own lives since 2012 because of problems with welfare payments. | The Work and Pensions Select Committee said 40 people had taken their own lives since 2012 because of problems with welfare payments. |
Disability campaign group Black Triangle later estimated that as many as 80 suicide cases were directly to benefit cuts. | Disability campaign group Black Triangle later estimated that as many as 80 suicide cases were directly to benefit cuts. |
“If it was a medical trial, it would have been abandoned long ago. So many have died as a direct result of the withdrawal of benefits, as confirmed by numerous coroner's inquests,” John McArdle, co-founder of the group said at the time. | “If it was a medical trial, it would have been abandoned long ago. So many have died as a direct result of the withdrawal of benefits, as confirmed by numerous coroner's inquests,” John McArdle, co-founder of the group said at the time. |
Changes to benefits during Iain Duncan Smith’s tenure at the Department for Work and Pensions have been controversial. | Changes to benefits during Iain Duncan Smith’s tenure at the Department for Work and Pensions have been controversial. |
The Work and Pensions Select Committee said there was evidence that sanctions to benefits were geared towards punishing people for being unemployed and might not actually help them find work. | The Work and Pensions Select Committee said there was evidence that sanctions to benefits were geared towards punishing people for being unemployed and might not actually help them find work. |
The MPs said there was evidence that the benefit cuts for unemployed people caused more problems than they solved and might be "purely punitive". | The MPs said there was evidence that the benefit cuts for unemployed people caused more problems than they solved and might be "purely punitive". |
Anyone affected by issues in this article can contact Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 or on their website, linked here. | Anyone affected by issues in this article can contact Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 or on their website, linked here. |
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