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| Paul Donnachie’s benefits were suspended. Months later, he killed himself | Paul Donnachie’s benefits were suspended. Months later, he killed himself |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Paul Donnachie, who had depression and anxiety, would have turned 51 a fortnight ago. Instead, his elder sister, Eleanor, from Coatbridge, Lanarkshire – 10 miles from Paul’s former council flat in Glasgow city centre – is speaking to me about his death. | Paul Donnachie, who had depression and anxiety, would have turned 51 a fortnight ago. Instead, his elder sister, Eleanor, from Coatbridge, Lanarkshire – 10 miles from Paul’s former council flat in Glasgow city centre – is speaking to me about his death. |
| Last June, Paul had his sickness benefits stopped by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) when he missed his fifth “fit for work” test. The DWP contacted Glasgow city council, and Paul had both his housing benefit and council tax support suspended. | Last June, Paul had his sickness benefits stopped by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) when he missed his fifth “fit for work” test. The DWP contacted Glasgow city council, and Paul had both his housing benefit and council tax support suspended. |
| It took until September for either to be reinstated and backdated. Glasgow city council say they made “several attempts over a number of months to get the required information from the claimant” about his change in circumstance, and when this was provided, benefits were paid two days later. | It took until September for either to be reinstated and backdated. Glasgow city council say they made “several attempts over a number of months to get the required information from the claimant” about his change in circumstance, and when this was provided, benefits were paid two days later. |
| Related: Fit-for-work tests may have taken serious toll on mental health – study | Related: Fit-for-work tests may have taken serious toll on mental health – study |
| But in the months in which Paul struggled with no income, he relied on the council for two Scottish welfare crisis grants to pay for electricity, gas, and food. | But in the months in which Paul struggled with no income, he relied on the council for two Scottish welfare crisis grants to pay for electricity, gas, and food. |
| “Our nephew had to bring him food parcels,” Eleanor, 53, tells me. | “Our nephew had to bring him food parcels,” Eleanor, 53, tells me. |
| In an error, the council removed Paul’s housing benefit again a month later and subsequently stopped paying it to his landlord. “They told him he owed £900,” Eleanor says. “But he didn’t.” | In an error, the council removed Paul’s housing benefit again a month later and subsequently stopped paying it to his landlord. “They told him he owed £900,” Eleanor says. “But he didn’t.” |
| (The council says that “when the claim was mistakenly terminated, it would have created an apparent overpayment of housing benefit” but that “any claimant in this situation is routinely given information on how to appeal and where expert advice is available. As a result, Mr Donnachie’s case was reviewed and the mistaken overpayment cancelled.” They apologise for the error.) | (The council says that “when the claim was mistakenly terminated, it would have created an apparent overpayment of housing benefit” but that “any claimant in this situation is routinely given information on how to appeal and where expert advice is available. As a result, Mr Donnachie’s case was reviewed and the mistaken overpayment cancelled.” They apologise for the error.) |
| During the months without his benefits, Eleanor tells me her brother “kept himself to himself”. She pauses. “Pride.” Then, on 15 January, Paul’s body was found by bailiffs arriving to evict him. He had killed himself: it’s thought he had been dead for two months. | During the months without his benefits, Eleanor tells me her brother “kept himself to himself”. She pauses. “Pride.” Then, on 15 January, Paul’s body was found by bailiffs arriving to evict him. He had killed himself: it’s thought he had been dead for two months. |
| I first speak to Eleanor a few weeks after Paul’s body is discovered. She’s still trying to piece together the last days of her brother’s life – she tells me she thinks Paul died about 23 November as his computer shows he last listened to music at 1am that night – but is clear what happened to him was “cruel and degrading treatment”. | I first speak to Eleanor a few weeks after Paul’s body is discovered. She’s still trying to piece together the last days of her brother’s life – she tells me she thinks Paul died about 23 November as his computer shows he last listened to music at 1am that night – but is clear what happened to him was “cruel and degrading treatment”. |
| “I blame the DWP, the government. All of them,” she says, quietly. “Paul had nowhere to turn. Prisoners are treated better. At least they get food.” | “I blame the DWP, the government. All of them,” she says, quietly. “Paul had nowhere to turn. Prisoners are treated better. At least they get food.” |
| She tells me that when she went to Paul’s flat for the first time after his death, she found “debt letters everywhere”. Food bank information leaflets were jammed in his door. Among them was a Christmas card from their mum, waiting to be opened. Eleanor shows me the note written inside: “Paul, I wish you would come out for Christmas dinner. It’s at Eleanor’s house this year. £20 – I wish it could be more.” | She tells me that when she went to Paul’s flat for the first time after his death, she found “debt letters everywhere”. Food bank information leaflets were jammed in his door. Among them was a Christmas card from their mum, waiting to be opened. Eleanor shows me the note written inside: “Paul, I wish you would come out for Christmas dinner. It’s at Eleanor’s house this year. £20 – I wish it could be more.” |
| Related: Luke Loy had a life, until his benefits started falling away | Frances Ryan | Related: Luke Loy had a life, until his benefits started falling away | Frances Ryan |
| When I speak to the DWP about Paul’s case, a spokesman says, “Suicide is a tragic and complex issue, so to link a death to someone’s benefit claim is misleading. We are fully committed to ensuring that people who are too sick to work get the support they need. | When I speak to the DWP about Paul’s case, a spokesman says, “Suicide is a tragic and complex issue, so to link a death to someone’s benefit claim is misleading. We are fully committed to ensuring that people who are too sick to work get the support they need. |
| “If someone with a mental health condition fails to attend an assessment, we consider whether they have good cause for not attending and if so benefit may continue. If a claimant is considered vulnerable attempts will be made to contact them by telephone and, if appropriate, to arrange a ‘safeguarding home visit’ before a decision on entitlement is made.” | “If someone with a mental health condition fails to attend an assessment, we consider whether they have good cause for not attending and if so benefit may continue. If a claimant is considered vulnerable attempts will be made to contact them by telephone and, if appropriate, to arrange a ‘safeguarding home visit’ before a decision on entitlement is made.” |
| It took me several days to wade through Paul’s dealings with his local council and the DWP – formal letters, forms and phone calls – and I wasn’t hungry, afraid, or dealing with a severe mental health problem at the time. It seems a mix of incompetence and cruelty to be surprised when someone struggling with mental illness is unable to do as this system wants them to – to expect resilience from the very people least able to cope. | It took me several days to wade through Paul’s dealings with his local council and the DWP – formal letters, forms and phone calls – and I wasn’t hungry, afraid, or dealing with a severe mental health problem at the time. It seems a mix of incompetence and cruelty to be surprised when someone struggling with mental illness is unable to do as this system wants them to – to expect resilience from the very people least able to cope. |
| It has been estimated, in research hotly contested by the DWP, that “fit for work” tests may have resulted in 590 extra suicides. | |
| As Eleanor puts it to me: “They ask people to do things they can’t do – and then they punish them.” | As Eleanor puts it to me: “They ask people to do things they can’t do – and then they punish them.” |
| By the end of last year, “fit for work” tests had been linked to 590 suicides in this country. | By the end of last year, “fit for work” tests had been linked to 590 suicides in this country. |
| It’s dehumanisation in its bleakest form to turn a blind eye to that – to believe bad things will inevitably happen to a certain rung of society or that this is just what comes with “welfare reform”. | It’s dehumanisation in its bleakest form to turn a blind eye to that – to believe bad things will inevitably happen to a certain rung of society or that this is just what comes with “welfare reform”. |
| Today the DWP goes to a tribunal to again try to avoid disclosing details about “peer reviews” it carried out into the deaths of 49 people on benefits. | Today the DWP goes to a tribunal to again try to avoid disclosing details about “peer reviews” it carried out into the deaths of 49 people on benefits. |
| “They’re driving vulnerable people to their deaths,” Eleanor says. “I don’t know why no one’s doing anything.” | “They’re driving vulnerable people to their deaths,” Eleanor says. “I don’t know why no one’s doing anything.” |
| • In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14 | • In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14 |