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Stephanie Bottrill suicide note blames government | Stephanie Bottrill suicide note blames government |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A woman who killed herself left a note blaming the government. | A woman who killed herself left a note blaming the government. |
Stephanie Bottrill, 53, from Solihull in the West Midlands, died in the early hours of 4 May after being hit by a lorry on the M6 near her home. | Stephanie Bottrill, 53, from Solihull in the West Midlands, died in the early hours of 4 May after being hit by a lorry on the M6 near her home. |
Her family said she had been worried about how she would afford an extra £20 a week as a result of changes to her housing benefit. | Her family said she had been worried about how she would afford an extra £20 a week as a result of changes to her housing benefit. |
Conservative MP for Meriden Caroline Spelman said there were discretionary payments available for special cases. | Conservative MP for Meriden Caroline Spelman said there were discretionary payments available for special cases. |
"I'm only so sorry that I didn't receive a request for help from Mrs Bottrill and, of course, I stand ready to help her family," said Mrs Spelman, in whose Meriden constituency Mrs Bottrill lived. | "I'm only so sorry that I didn't receive a request for help from Mrs Bottrill and, of course, I stand ready to help her family," said Mrs Spelman, in whose Meriden constituency Mrs Bottrill lived. |
"There is discretion in these cases and what people need to do is ask for that help." | "There is discretion in these cases and what people need to do is ask for that help." |
An inquest is due to open at Birmingham Coroner's Court on Tuesday. | An inquest is due to open at Birmingham Coroner's Court on Tuesday. |
Mrs Bottrill's son Steven said: "It feels like a dream... they've put all this pressure on her and I've lost my mum now." | Mrs Bottrill's son Steven said: "It feels like a dream... they've put all this pressure on her and I've lost my mum now." |
A Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council spokesman said they did not know if Mrs Bottrill had applied for discretionary payments. | |
The council said Mrs Bottrill had two successful bids for properties and as far as the authority was aware, she was going to move into one of those. | |
'Got to stop' | 'Got to stop' |
Government changes mean families deemed to have more living space than they need are seeing their housing benefits reduced, something opponents have described as a "bedroom tax". | Government changes mean families deemed to have more living space than they need are seeing their housing benefits reduced, something opponents have described as a "bedroom tax". |
The government rejects this term, pointing out it is not a tax at all and should not be described as such. | The government rejects this term, pointing out it is not a tax at all and should not be described as such. |
Mrs Bottrill lived in a three-bedroom house on her own. | Mrs Bottrill lived in a three-bedroom house on her own. |
In her letter, she told her son not to blame himself for her death but said she "can't cope" anymore. | In her letter, she told her son not to blame himself for her death but said she "can't cope" anymore. |
"It's my life, the only people to blame are the government," she wrote. | "It's my life, the only people to blame are the government," she wrote. |
Mr Bottrill said his mother was already struggling for money for food and clothes. | Mr Bottrill said his mother was already struggling for money for food and clothes. |
"They told her they would be taxing her for the two empty rooms," he said. | "They told her they would be taxing her for the two empty rooms," he said. |
"She knew she would have to move out eventually, but I think it was how it just came totally just straight away." | "She knew she would have to move out eventually, but I think it was how it just came totally just straight away." |
He said he wanted the government to rethink its policy. | He said he wanted the government to rethink its policy. |
"It might look like a good idea on paper but the way it's affecting people... I've lost my mum now and eventually it's going to be someone else so it's got to stop," he said. | "It might look like a good idea on paper but the way it's affecting people... I've lost my mum now and eventually it's going to be someone else so it's got to stop," he said. |
"It's definitely down to them putting this law in because she would have still been here." | "It's definitely down to them putting this law in because she would have still been here." |
David Jamieson, leader of the Labour group on Solihull Council, said he was "horrified" when Mrs Bottrill's family told him what had happened. | David Jamieson, leader of the Labour group on Solihull Council, said he was "horrified" when Mrs Bottrill's family told him what had happened. |
He said: "It does not seem a lot of money if you have got a lot of money, but it's a lot if you have got very little, and £20 a week has clearly pushed her over the edge to the point she felt she had no other option but to take her own life." | He said: "It does not seem a lot of money if you have got a lot of money, but it's a lot if you have got very little, and £20 a week has clearly pushed her over the edge to the point she felt she had no other option but to take her own life." |
The council had offered Mrs Bottrill another property to live in about six miles away and she was considering whether to move there at the time of her death. | The council had offered Mrs Bottrill another property to live in about six miles away and she was considering whether to move there at the time of her death. |
But she feared she would be cut-off from her neighbours and family, her son said. | But she feared she would be cut-off from her neighbours and family, her son said. |
"The problem is for Solihull Council housing is that there aren't the houses available," he said. | "The problem is for Solihull Council housing is that there aren't the houses available," he said. |
"There just aren't enough becoming vacant." | "There just aren't enough becoming vacant." |
'Trying to bring fairness' | 'Trying to bring fairness' |
A spokesman for the Department of Work and Pensions said it was not appropriate to comment on individual cases. | A spokesman for the Department of Work and Pensions said it was not appropriate to comment on individual cases. |
"The changes to housing benefit are trying to bring fairness to the system," he said. | "The changes to housing benefit are trying to bring fairness to the system," he said. |
"There are currently two million people on the housing waiting list." | "There are currently two million people on the housing waiting list." |
Mrs Spelman said in her Meriden constituency some 16,000 people were on the waiting list for social housing, but said "nobody is being forced out". | Mrs Spelman said in her Meriden constituency some 16,000 people were on the waiting list for social housing, but said "nobody is being forced out". |
She added the government had made £150m available to councils to provide discretionary payments to protect the most vulnerable. | She added the government had made £150m available to councils to provide discretionary payments to protect the most vulnerable. |
Samaritans told BBC News "although a catalyst may appear to be obvious, suicide is seldom the result of a single factor or event and is likely to have several interrelated causes". | Samaritans told BBC News "although a catalyst may appear to be obvious, suicide is seldom the result of a single factor or event and is likely to have several interrelated causes". |