21 December 1999

‘Permanent Health Insurance’ Westminster Hall debate by Clive Efford MP debated the increasing wrongful denial of PHI claims. Read More

November 2001

Woodstock conference on “malingering and illness deception”, partly funded by UnumProvident and DWP, will play a key role in justifying welfare reform. Read More

17 October 2003

National Audit Office report finds backlog of assessment cases and early signs of DWP’s failure to seek medical evidence early in the assessment process. Read More

10 December 2003

DWP’s chief medical adviser, Mansel Aylward, gives evidence to the Commons Public Accounts Committee over accusations that health care professionals, carrying out assessments on behalf of DWP, are treating claimants like “lumps of meat.” Read More

July 2004

UnumProvident opens new Centre for Psychosocial and Disability Research at Cardiff University, which has close links to DWP. Read More

November 2004

DWP-commissioned research finds Incapacity Benefit Personal Advisers are concerned about working with clients who are suicidal, and about a target driven sanctioning culture. Read More

2005

DWP publishes second research report on Incapacity Benefit reforms and Personal advisers, finding unmanageable workloads affect their ability to identify risk and provide support to people in distress. Read More

1 January 2005

Research published into how DWP and Atos secure further medical evidence from claimants. Read More

11 October 2005

DWP commission a report on ‘The Scientific and Conceptual Basis of Incapacity Benefits’, which lays the framework for the 2006 Welfare Reform Bill. Read More

1 January 2006

Publication of “Is Work Good for Health and Well-being?”, claims to provide evidence that work is good for health, which will be used by government to justify pressuring disabled people into work. Read More

March 2006

Dr Alison Ravetz criticises government’s New Deal for Welfare warning of incalculable stress for those forced into work and predicting future harms. Read More

September 2006

DWP publishes progress report on developing the work capability assessment. Read More

9 November 2007

Labour announces the new work capability assessment for claiming employment and support allowance, with DWP claiming that “Fifty per cent of those who take the assessment will not pass it”. Read More

17 March 2008

Publication of DWP report on health, work and well-being emphasises cost to the British economy of health-related absence from work. Read More

October 2009

DWP publishes internal review of work capability assessment. Read More

1 January 2010

The death of Stephen Carré after finding that DWP had confirmed its decision to find him ineligible for ESA. Read More

September 2010

DWP fails in its legal duty to respond to the Stephen Carré prevention of future deaths report. Read More

6 October 2010

Coroner Tom Osborne writes to the father of Stephen Carré, saying he has received no “substantive response” to his prevention of future deaths report. Read More

23 November 2010

Professor Malcolm Harrington publishes his first independent review of the Work Capability Assessment, finding that the system is “impersonal” but not “broken” (later evidence would emerge that he had not been informed by DWP of the coroner’s report for Stephen Carré.) Read More

October 2011

Pat’s Petition, asking the DWP to stop changes to benefits, is submitted on the UK Government’s website. Read More

1 February 2012

DWP begins to collect peer reviews (the secret reports it carries out into the deaths of benefit claimants) centrally for the first time. Read More

20 June 2012

Email leaked from Jobcentre managers to staff after a claimant attempts suicide after being told his sickness benefit would be cut off. Read More

12 September 2012

MP raises concerns over the death of Colin Traynor, whose family say they “hold the Government…personally responsible”. Read More

19 November 2012

DWP suggests that providing further medical evidence would be too heavy a burden on GPs. Read More

26 November 2012

Joseph Rowntree Foundation publishes report on the impact of welfare reform on poverty and exclusion, criticising DWP for failing to assess the overall impact of its welfare reforms. Read More

23 February 2013

Research by DPAC activist exposes how DWP under-estimated how many should be found not fit for work. Read More

April 2013

Launch of new personal independence payment (PIP) Read More

April 2013

DWP introduces mandatory reconsiderations – a new internal appeal stage for benefits.  Read More

16 May 2013

Former Atos assessor blows the whistle on unfair practices, saying the DWP is the “real culprit”. Read More

22 May 2013

Judgement on work capability assessment court case brought by the Mental Health Resistance Network. Read More

25 September 2013

The death of Tim Salter after being found fit for work. A coroner later ruled that a major factor in his death was the reduction in his benefits. Read More

4 December 2013

Despite the Court of Appeal ruling that the Work Capability Assessment discriminates against people with mental health conditions, the DWP tells senior civil servants it is “business as usual”. Read More

7 January 2014

Inquest into the death of Michael O’Sullivan, where the Coroner concludes that the trigger for Michael O’Sullivan’s suicide was his assessment as being fit for work, and writes a prevention of future deaths report to DWP, saying that “there is a risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken”. Read More

30 January 2014

Managing editor of the Sun appointed director of communications at DWP. Read More

March 2014

Atos pull out of contract with the DWP to deliver the work capability assessment due to reputational and profitability issues. Read More

13 August 2014

DWP data shows increase in use of sanctions against Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claimants. Read More

22 August 2014

DWP questioned about what records they keep of deaths linked to the benefits system. Read More

13 October 2014

First freedom of information request into DWP reviews into deaths of benefit claimants. Read More

14 October 2014

DWP admits for the first time that it carries out investigations into some deaths of claimants. Read More

7 November 2014

Faiza Ahmed (known to her family as Sophie) dies by suicide, hours after telling a jobcentre work coach that she was suicidal. Read More

10 November 2014

DWP questioned over how many coroner’s letters about benefits-related deaths it has received in the past 10 years. Read More

10 November 2014

DWP admits in a Freedom of Information response that it has carried out 60 peer reviews into deaths of benefits claimants. Read More

November 2014

Litchfield publishes fifth and final independent review of the work capability assessment, with no mention of the DWP’s own reviews into deaths of claimants. Read More

27 November 2014

Employment minister says there is no formal policy to liaise with agencies after a sanction. Read More

12 December 2014

DWP delays responding to freedom of information request on peer reviews into deaths of benefits claimants. Read More

2 February 2015

A man (name kept anonymous) dies by suicide after being rejected for both Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Employment Support Allowance (ESA). Read More

19 February 2015

DWP refuses to release the peer reviews it has carried out in relation to deaths of benefits claimants. Read More

19 February 2015

DWP admits that 40 of the 49 peer reviews into the deaths of benefit claimants it has carried out were in response to suicides. Read More

2 March 2015

Channel 4 reports that most peer reviews included recommendations for improvements. Read More

12 March 2015

Dismissal of further medical evidence case on the work capability assessment and discrimination, but upper tribunal administrative appeals chamber criticises minister. Read More

18 March 2015

The Commons work and pensions select committee calls for a new independent body to investigate deaths of benefit claimants. Read More

April 2015

DWP examines its flawed peer review process, finding deep flaws. Read More

19 May 2015

DWP raises issues with sanctions and safeguarding of vulnerable claimants by the companies delivering its Work Programme. Read More

2 June 2015

Freedom of information request reveals that 22 of the 49 peer reviews into deaths of claimants involved someone claiming employment and support allowance (ESA).  Read More

26 June 2015

DWP says coroners’ letters expressing concern about the deaths of benefit claimants are not handled by a specific official, revealing no centralised process for accountability. Read More

August 2015

The death of Moira Drury, after the removal of her employment and support allowance (ESA). Read More

27 August 2015

DWP publish statistics on how many people died while claiming out-of-work benefits. Read More

29 August 2015

The death of Alan McArdle, an hour after being told that DWP was threatening to sanction him – stopping his employment and support allowance (ESA). Read More

17 September 2015

Information commissioner rejects complaint about DWP refusal to release peer reviews, supporting DWP’s’ response that this would breach data protection. Read More

18 September 2015

First coroner’s report to link work capability assessment (WCA) with the death of a person claiming benefits – Michael O’Sullivan. Read More

12 November 2015

Professor Harrington (who carried out the first three independent reviews of the WCA for DWP) says he was not shown Stephen Carré PFD report. Read More

December 2015

DWP, in guidance to healthcare professionals working for Maximus, changes suicide from a “definitive” “substantial risk” if forced into work, to something that should be weighed against ‘benefits of employment”. Read More

11 December 2015

Mental health experts describe how “ruthless” DWP forced through Work Capability Assessments despite knowing of harm. Read More

8 January 2016

National Audit Office (NAO) publishes report on disability assessments and private contractors. Read More

20 January 2016

Coroner publishes prevention of future deaths (PFD) report into death of Sophie/Faiza (see 7 November 2014), calling for DWP to take action to prevent further deaths. Read More

28 January 2016

Ministry of Justice refuses to investigate DWP’s failure to respond to Stephen Carré prevention of future deaths (PFD) report. Read More

3 March 2016

Information Rights Tribunal hears Disability news Service case against the information commissioner over its finding that DWP did not need to release peer reviews into the deaths of benefit claimants. Read More

23 March 2016

Disabled activists ask Scottish police to investigate ministers over work capability assessment (WCA) deaths. Read More

April 2016

DWP sends out reminder to staff about six-point suicide prevention plan. Read More

11 April 2016

The Information Rights Tribunal rules DWP must release redacted versions of peer reviews. Read More

5 May 2016

DWP figures shows that of the 49 peer reviews into deaths of people claiming benefits, 18 of the people who had died by suicide had been claiming employment support allowance (ESA). Read More

12 May 2016

DWP releases redacted versions of 49 peer reviews, showing that ministers were repeatedly warned that policies were putting the lives of “vulnerable” claimants at risk. Read More

19 May 2016

The death of Susan Roberts, after being told she had lost a benefit appeal. Read More

30 August 2016

New reviews into deaths of people claiming benefits show DWP staff keep failing to follow suicide guidelines. Read More

September 2016

Changes to DWP guidance (including regulation 35) on safety and risk lead to sharp fall in claimants placed in employment and support allowance (ESA) support group, and increase in number of people found ‘fit for work’. Read More

13 September 2016

Freedom of information battle with DWP finds Maximus memo on suicide guidance and medical evidence was sent a few days after the existence of the Michael O’Sullivan prevention of future deaths report was first revealed. Read More

October 2016

DWP publishes Improving Lives: The Work, Health and Disability Green Paper.  Read More

November 2016

Disabled activists declare war on Mind after links exposed to DWP. Read More

7 November 2016

UN report concludes DWP is guilty of “grave” and “systematic” violations of disabled people. Read More

30 November 2016

The National Audit Office says DWP is not doing enough to understand how sanctions affect people on benefits. Read More

December 2016

Scottish criminal justice agencies reject request to launch criminal investigation into links between DWP and the death of David Barr. Read More

16 December 2016

DWP admits it carried out seven peer reviews while Harrington was investigating the work capability assessment (WCA). Read More

19 December 2016

Professor Harrington believes he was never shown work capability assessment (WCA) related peer reviews into claimants’ deaths. Read More

21 February 2017

The death of Jodey Whiting, after being found fit for work, despite telling the DWP about her suicidal thoughts. Read More

21 February 2017

Public accounts committee report urges DWP to review the use of sanctions. Read More

22 February 2017

DWP tells the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) that it does not keep track of peer review recommendations. Read More

20 April 2017

DWP admits peer review process lacked “robust governance”. Read More

21 April 2017

The death of Diane Hullah, linked to anxiety caused by the personal independence payment (PIP) application process. Read More

10 May 2017

DWP “has gone back on promise” to address work capability assessment (WCA) further medical evidence flaw. Read More

26 July 2017

The death of Mark Barber, shortly after learning his disability benefits would be cut. Coroner mentions stress linked to reassessment for disability benefits. Read More

August 2017

DWP data shows some groups are at substantially higher risk of experiencing a jobseekers allowance (JSA) sanction. Read More

3 August 2017

Disability News Service investigates allegations of professionals’ dishonesty in benefits assessments outsourced to Capita and Atos. Read More

31 August 2017

UN demands UK government provide an annual UK progress report on correcting “grave and systematic violations”. Read More

October 2017

Work and pensions secretary David Gauke admits sanctions can harm claimants with mental health issues. Read More

25 January 2018

DWP decides not to trial softer sanctions regime, despite this being recommended by the Commons public accounts committee. Read More

18 April 2018

Government responds to work and pensions committee’s report on assessments process. Read More

21 May 2018

DWP “has no record” of whether it showed documents about deaths related to work capability assessments to a reviewer. Read More

20 June 2018

The death of Errol Graham, months after DWP wrongly stopped his employment support allowance (ESA), and failed to seek further medical evidence. Read More

17 September 2018

Number of DWP investigations (internal process reviews) into deaths of people claiming benefits double in two years. Read More

October 2018

Citizens Advice signs £51 million contract with DWP. Read More

November 2018

The sister of a man with learning difficulties says his death was caused by his move onto the government’s “chaotic” universal credit system.  Read More

6 November 2018

Commons work and pensions committee calls for an end to sanctioning disabled people. Read More

22 January 2019

Ministers fail to include DWP in cross-government suicide prevention plan, despite evidence linking suicides with disability benefits assessment system. Read More

1 February 2019

DWP figures show thousands died after having personal independence payment (PIP) claims rejected. Read More

21 February 2019

DWP failed five times to follow safeguarding rules before Jodey Whiting’s suicide. Read More

March 2019

Work and pensions secretary Amber Rudd launches Health Transformation Programme – to reform assessment processes. Read More

11 March 2019

DWP figures suggest deaths linked to the work capability assessment (WCA) may have fallen. Read More

13 March 2019

Prime minister Theresa May questioned about the death of Jodey Whiting. Read More

21 March 2019

DWP admits it keeps no record of complaints linked to deaths submitted to the Independent Case Examiner. Read More

25 March 2019

DWP withholds documents on benefits-related deaths from work capability assessment (WCA) review team. Read More

4 April 2019

DWP admits destroying report on safety failures in jobcentres. Read More

8 April 2019

DWP responds to Justice for Jodey Whiting petition, saying it has “no plans” to hold an independent inquiry into deaths linked to its actions. Read More

15 April 2019

The death of Stephen Smith, following an 18-month battle with DWP over being found fit for work. Read More

2 May 2019

Responses to freedom of information requests show DWP and assessors fail to refer claimants at risk of harm to social services. Read More

6 June 2019

MP Debbie Abrahams asks the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to investigate why evidence about deaths linked to the work capability assessment (WCA) was withheld from independent reviews. Read More

4 July 2019

Minister questioned over failure to pass evidence about deaths linked to the work capability assessment (WCA) to independent reviewer. Read More

22 July 2019

Mother of Jodey Whiting takes part in protest about benefits-related deaths outside DWP with Dolly Sen. Read More

4 September 2019

DWP secures funding to set up an independent panel to examine cases where its own failings have led to the deaths of benefit claimants. Read More

12 September 2019

Independent Case Examiner raises concerns about DWP not following safeguarding procedures aimed at protecting “vulnerable” claimants. Read More

16 October 2019

The death of Philippa Day, after she had been told she would need to attend an assessment centre for a face-to-face appointment to decide her claim for personal independence payment (PIP). Read More

24 October 2019

Police admit officers have no guidance about passing on information about protesters to DWP (after two police forces admitted passing information and video footage to DWP about disabled people taking part in protests). Read More

14 November 2019

Statistics show most disability benefit fraud allegations are false. Read More

Late November 2019

The death of Christian Wilcox, a few days before he is due to attend an appeal tribunal into DWP’s decision to remove his personal independence payment (PIP). Read More

5 December 2019

A doctor employed by Atos says DWP put “immense pressure” on Atos to find claimants fit for work. Read More

23 January 2020

The case of Errol Graham’s death is referred to DWP’s new serious case panel. Read More

28 January 2020

DWP admits the serious case panel will not be independent. Read More

7 February 2020

Report by the National Audit Office (NAO) shows DWP misled two watchdogs over deaths and safeguarding. Read More

20 February 2020

The coroner for Errol Graham says she will push DWP on promised safeguarding review (which persuaded her not to submit a prevention of future deaths (PFD) report).  Read More

20 February 2020

DWP misled Errol Graham coroner over safeguarding review. Read More

21 February 2020

DWP admits destroying pre-2015 peer reviews into suicides and other deaths of benefit claimants. Read More

5 March 2020

Chair of the work and pensions committee asks work and pensions secretary questions about the NAO report. Read More

20 March 2020

Work and pensions secretary responds to questions from Chair of the work and pensions committee, telling him about DWP’s new “Service Excellence Directorate”, including funding for safeguarding and clarifying purpose of internal process reviews (IPRs). Read More

24 April 2020

Coroner fails to investigate DWP links to death of PIP claimant Read More

25 June 2020

The Equality and Human Rights Commission says it will not carry out an inquiry into links between DWP and the deaths of disabled claimants. Read More

16 July 2020

Coroner’s prevention of future deaths report into death of Faiza Ahmed is made public, showing jobcentre’s failings contributed to her death. Read More

16 July 2020

Family or Errol Graham win right to court challenge on DWP safeguarding. Read More

22 July 2020

Work and pensions secretary speaks about serious case panel and safeguarding. Read More

22 July 2020

DWP permanent secretary gives evidence to work and pensions committee on safeguarding and internal process reviews (IPRs). Read More

30 July 2020

Chair of the work and pensions committee writes to work and pensions secretary asking for further information about DWP plans to improve safeguarding. Read More

September 2020

Work and pensions secretary denies DWP has duty of care or statutory safeguarding responsibilities for people claiming benefits. Read More

8 September 2020

New DWP figures show that, in just two years, 1,700 disabled people died within three months of having their claim for personal independence payment (PIP) rejected.  Read More

23 September 2020

Dolly Sen “sections” DWP for being “a danger to benefit claimants” – driving many claimants to their deaths. Read More

29 September 2020

Work and pensions secretary outlines DWP’s revised guidance on home visits procedures, while again saying the department has no duty of care. Read More

30 September 2020

Work and pensions secretary again tells the Commons work and pensions select committee that DWP has no duty of care. Read More

11 November 2020

The family of Jodey Whiting are granted permission to ask the high court to order a second inquest into Jodey’s death. Read More

30 November 2020

DWP refuses to release recommendations made by its internal process reviews (from between April 2019 and November 2020) into the deaths of benefit claimants. Read More

30 November 2020

Newly-released internal process reviews show that a number of suicides between 2014 and 2019 were linked to DWP staff’s failure to follow suicide guidance. Read More

4 December 2020

Coroner Tom Osborne files a Prevention of Future Deaths report on the death of Roy Curtis, but the DWP is not mentioned. Read More

10 December 2020

Coroner’s silence over why DWP did not give evidence at Roy Curtis inquest. Read More

17 December 2020

New analysis of figures suggests DWP is failing to investigate hundreds of suicides of benefits claimants. Read More

26 December 2020

The death of Philip Pakree, after distress caused by an upcoming work capability assessment (WCA). Read More

13 January 2021

High court hears evidence from family of Errol Graham in judicial review hearing. Read More

14 January 2021

Disability News Service wins ground-breaking legal fight with DWP, over the draft internal process review that was drawn up by DWP following the death of Philippa Day. Read More

27 January 2021

Coroner at Philippa Day’s inquest finds flawed personal independence payment (PIP) system led to her death. Read More

3 February 2021

Work and pensions secretary avoids questions on Philippa Day death. Read More

11 February 2021

Secret report (from 2014) casts doubt on DWP’s claim that it has no duty of care. Read More

23 February 2021

Report from the all-party parliamentary group on health in all policies, says 2016 welfare reforms had devastating impacts on disabled people, and calls for inquiry into deaths of benefit claimants. Read More

3 March 2021

Errol Graham’s family lose judicial review claim, with the high court rejecting claim that DWP acted unlawfully by not making further enquiries about Errol Graham’s mental health before it cut off his employment and support allowance (ESA). Read More

9 March 2021

Minister for welfare delivery admits “deficit” in tracking “vulnerable claimants” through the universal credit (UC) system. Read More

26 March 2021

Research shows testimony from DWP staff admitting inflicting “psychological harm” on claimants to meet unofficial sanctioning targets during coalition years. Read More

20 May 2021

Pre-2016 internal guidance for DWP staff suggests DWP have duty of care to benefits claimants. Read More

June 2021

Publication of DWP and Capita responses to Philippa Day prevention of future death (PFD) report.  Read More

1 July 2021

The mother of Ker Featherstone describes how he took his own life, just weeks after DWP cut his personal independence payment (PIP). Read More

20 July 2021

DWP publishes Shaping Future Support – health and disability green paper – failing to mention the internal process reviews carried out by the DWP following deaths of claimants. Read More

12 August 2021

DWP figures reveal sharp rise in internal process reviews into the deaths of benefit claimants. Read More

16 September 2021

The Equality and Human Rights Commission says the government has made no progress on improving the way its social security system protects the rights of disabled people, and that the disability benefits assessment system has led to “the deaths of a number of benefit claimants”. Read More

3 October 2021

Work and pensions secretary signals new bid to try to push more disabled people with high support needs into work. Read More

November 2021

Capita agrees to compensate Philippa Day’s family for failings leading to her death. Read More

11 November 2021

Families outraged after government hands award to DWP safeguarding team for “outstanding contribution”. Read More

23 November 2021

DWP refuses to publish figures that would show how disabled people seeking to claim universal credit are experiencing the WCA process Read More

2 December 2021

DWP apologises to autistic man after work coach threatens to stick pins in his eyes. Read More

2 December 2021

Government’s reviewer tells MPs how DWP kept vital deaths evidence from him. Read More

3 December 2021

Coroner says DWP ‘must act’ after it told severely ill patient to leave hospital to make a claim for universal credit. Read More

8 December 2021

Coffey dismisses call for a new review of the WCA, despite being told of claimant deaths evidence. Read More

16 December 2021

Coroner silent on why DWP was not questioned at inquest, despite ‘nightmare’ messages left by claimant on benefit assessment paperwork. Read More

17 December 2021

Channel 4’s Dispatches exposes links between DWP and the deaths of claimants Read More

February 2022

Disabled activists ask human rights watchdog why it is failing to act over DWP deaths. Read More

8 March 2022

Three disabled women make parliamentary call for action on DWP deaths. Read More

10 March 2022

Whistleblower claims DWP is forcing distressed claimants to attend weekly meetings Read More

7 April 2022

EHRC confirms it has dropped plans for inquiry into DWP deaths. Read More

28 April 2022

Trio of disabled women say watchdog has failed them on benefit deaths. Read More

26 May 2022

Concerns over impact of DWP’s new anti-fraud plan on disabled people. Read More

2 June 2022

DWP ignored research that linked WCA with 590 suicides, MPs are told. Read More

4 July 2022

Nine years on, family of Michael O’Sullivan win tribunal battle. Read More

6 September 2023

MPs refuse to question minister over Deaths by Welfare timeline. Read More