1966

Supplementary Benefits Commission (SBC). Read More

1968

Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS). Read More

1970

The Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act (CSDPA). Read More

August 1970

Department for Health and Social Security (DHSS) says needs are to be determined by resources. Read More

1971-1972

Introduction of Attendance Allowance (AA) and lower rate. Read More

31 March 1979

First figures showing number of people on Invalidity and Sickness Benefit. Read More

1980

The Social Security Act (SSA). Read More

Late 1980s to 1990s

UK Conservative Government tries to minimise 1980s unemployment figures by misrepresenting statistics and also misleadingly encouraging the moving of unemployed people onto disability benefits. Read More

1994

US insurance company Unum Provident advise the UK government on ‘welfare reform’ to reduce the number of claimants of long-term sickness benefits. Read More

20 January 1994

The Social Security (Incapacity for Work) Bill and research paper published, discussing role of GPs in determining access to benefits. Read More

July 1995

Professor Wikeley publishes paper highlighting the risks of The Social Security (Incapacity for Work) Act 1994, saying that it reaffirms idea of the ‘deserving’ and ‘undeserving’ poor, begins the move away from GP-led benefits assessments, and is designed to encourage people to take up private insurance, leaving marginalised groups with inadequate protection. Read More

28 October 1996

The Department of Social Security tells the Social Security Advisory Committee that intended policy changes to remove the ‘substantial risk’ rules (which provide vital safeguarding) would have no detrimental effect. Read More

6 November 1996

Department of Social Security says removing ‘significant risk’ regulation is ‘neutral’ despite providing a ‘safety net’ for those facing a ‘significant risk’ of harm if found capable of work. This means the committee does not see a formal referral and the regulation is approved by parliament (the removal will later be found to be unlawful). Read More

6 November 1996

Clinicians appointed by the DSS removal of regulation 27, which provides vital safeguarding to those whose mental and/or physical health is ‘substantial risk’ if found fit to work. Read More

December 1997

Child Poverty Action group raises concerns over removal of “significant risk” clause – finding that the Social Security Advisory Committee had been ‘misled’ by the DSS. Read More

26 March 1998

Publication by the Blair ‘New Labour’ administration of new social security green paper “New Ambitions for our Country: A New Contract for Welfare”, setting out the principles of welfare reform based on the idea of “welfare dependency”. Read More

21 December 1999

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

9 March 2001

National Audit Office report finds “serious problems” with medical assessment of Incapacity and disability benefits. Read More

8 November 2002

The Court of Appeal finds (in the case Howker v Secretary of State) that the social security advisory committee had been misled by the DSS (now DWP) and that removing the “substantial risk” clause was unlawful. Read More

18 February 2003

Ministers try again to remove the “substantial risk” clause from regulation 27, reversing the effect of the Court of Appeal ruling. Read More

13 May 2003

The Social Security Advisory Committee recommends that no change be made to regulation 27, and then withdraws its proposal to remove the safety net. 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

18 November 2004

UnumProvident settles multi-state federal examination of claim handling practices in USA, identifying Unum’s use of in-house medical staff to deny benefits. 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

3 October 2005

California insurance regulators fine Unum $8 million, including for using wrong legal definition of disability to deny claims, requiring the company to reopen as many as 26,000 California cases. 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

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

15 January 2008

Bid to regulate health care professionals carrying out work capability assessments fails. 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

2009

Launch of Centre for Welfare Reform. Read More

October 2009

DWP publishes internal review of work capability assessment. Read More

30 March 2010

Prevention of future deaths (PFD) report finds that the rejection of his appeal that he was not fit for work was a ‘trigger’ in Stephen Carré’s death. Read More

4 May 2010

Coroner Tom Osborne receives initial response to the Stephen Carré PFD from DWP permanent secretary Sir Leigh Lewis. Read More

12 May 2010

Coroner Tom Osborne replies to Sir Leigh Lewis, saying that DWP does not need to investigate the circumstances surrounding Stephen Carré’s death but does need to investigate use of medical evidence. Read More

September 2010

DWP fails in its legal duty to respond to the Stephen Carré 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

June 2011

Publication of “Getting In, Staying In and Getting On: Disability Employment Support Fit for the Future” recommending end to government subsidies for Remploy factories and producing disagreement within the disabled people’s movement. Read More

15 June 2011

David Cameron says the work capability assessment is necessary to stop “bad behaviour.” 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

November 2011

Professor Harrington publishes his second review of the WCA. Read More

31 December 2011

The death of Ms DE (Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland later launches an investigation into her death). Read More

2012

Research report evidences “influence of politicians’ rhetoric” in increasing stigma against benefit claimants. 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

1 March 2012

MPs and peers warn of cumulative impact of Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independence payments (DLA/PIP) reforms on disabled people. Read More

2 April 2012

Mind chief executive resigns from Work Capability Assessment (WCA) review scrutiny panel, arguing that the assessment process “isn’t working”. Read More

1 May 2012

Scottish GP tells Scottish parliament that the death of Paul Reekie was caused by the UK government’s welfare reforms. Read More

June 2012

Doctors vote to end the work capability assessment (WCA), thanks to lobbying from disabled activists. Read More

26 July 2012

High court grants permission for two disabled people (backed by the Mental Health Resistance Network) to bring a judicial review claim against the work and pensions secretary and related to the work capability assessment (WCA). Read More

15 November 2012

The Spartacus Network publishes the People’s Review of the Work Capability Assessment, documenting links between being found “fit for work” and people’s deaths. Read More

20 November 2012

Professor Harrington publishes his third review of the Work Capability Assessment (WCA). Read More

22 November 2012

Iain Duncan Smith questioned over benefit-related deaths on BBC Question Time. 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

30 November 2012

House of Commons Library sums up WCA concerns. Read More

17 January 2013

Commons debate on work capability assessment and Atos.   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

Thinktank Demos show that disabled people will be hit by up to 13 different cuts and risk losing a total of £28.3 billion in income support by 2018. 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

11 September 2013

“Shocking” bedroom tax should be axed, says UN investigator, who reported that the most vulnerable were being affected, with some talking about suicide. Read More

11 October 2013

DPAC co-founders persuade the UN disability committee to carry out an investigation into the UK under the optional protocol of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Read More

5 November 2013

The UN special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights condemns “intrusive” Work Capability Assessment and the demonization of poor people as undeserving. Read More

December 2013

The Spartacus Network leads the Second People’s Review of the Work Capability Assessment, including accounts of deaths linked to being found fit for work.  Read More

December 2013

Publication of fourth independent review of the Work Capability Assessment – with no mention of deaths or suicides. Read More

4 December 2013

Court of Appeal upholds ruling that the Work Capability Assessment discriminates against some disabled people. 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

19 February 2014

Activists deliver letter to British Medical Association about its members’ opposition to the work capability assessment. Read More

March 2014

The Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland publishes a report into the death of Ms DE, finding that the process and denial of Employment Support Allowance (ESA) were a major factor in her suicide. Read More

July 2014

Launch of New Approach campaign and release of work capability assessment report – finding the process “abusive” and “inhumane”. Read More

7 July 2014

Labour peer highlights “devastating” impact of legal aid changes, which remove access to justice for the poorest and most vulnerable. 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

Early October 2014

Liberal Democrat DWP minister contradicts his Tory colleague over records kept on deaths linked to benefits. Read More

14 October 2014

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

12 December 2014

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

January 2015

Labour MP speaks of “core visits” procedures, which are supposed to be followed when a  “vulnerable” person is sanctioned. 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

March 2015

Psychologists Against Austerity say austerity policies are causing mental health problems. 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

16 April 2015

Changes to incapacity benefits described “as the biggest single social policy failure of the last 15 years”. Read More

8 May 2015

DWP admits that 10 of the 49 claimants whose deaths were examined by peer reviews had had their benefits sanctioned. 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

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

14 October 2015

Mother of Mark Wood (who died after being found ineligible for employment and support allowance (ESA)) gives evidence to UN committee. Read More

15 October 2015

Disability News Service appeals to the First-Tier Tribunal over the information commissioner’s decision to reject its peer review complaint (allowing reviews to remain unpublished). Read More

21 October 2015

Prime minister David Cameron is asked about the death of Michael O’Sullivan. Read More

23 October 2015

Ministry of Justice releases Stephen Carré prevention of future deaths (PFD) report.  Read More

28 October 2015

David Cameron asked about peer reviews into deaths of people claiming benefits. 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

16 November 2015

Research shows links between Work Capability Assessments and suicides 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

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

17 March 2016

Labour former work and pensions secretary says she “never saw” Stephen Carré PFD report. 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

John McDonnell supports calls to prosecute Iain Duncan Smith. Read More

30 August 2016

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

October 2016

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

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

February 2017

Report by Mental Health and Unemployment in Scotland finds that the work capability assessment (WCA) has a negative impact on mental health. 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

14 March 2017

DPAC and Inclusion London respond to the UN report, raising the connection between benefit changes, people’s deaths and Government failures. Read More

20 April 2017

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

24 May 2017

Inquest into the death of Jodey Whiting fails to investigate DWP’s potential role in her death. Read More

August 2017

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities committee says government cuts caused “human catastrophe”. Read More

31 August 2017

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

12 October 2017

Government downplays UN disability committee concerns about the UK.  Read More

16 November 2017

Government inquiry into benefits assessment processes receives unprecedented number of submissions. Read More

December 2017

Mental health charity Rethink publishes report on how the work capability assessment (WCA) discriminates against people with mental illness. Read More

14 December 2017

NHS statistics on the link between employment support allowance and suicide prompt calls for inquiry and prosecution of ministers. 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

14 February 2018

The Commons work and pensions committee finds the assessment system is undermined by “pervasive culture of mistrust”. Read More

20 February 2018

Research shows that benefit sanctions regime discriminates against disabled people claiming jobseeker’s allowance (JSA). 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

June 2018

Research published from five-year study into welfare conditionality, findings include link between sanctions and deaths, including suicide. Read More

17 September 2018

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

6 November 2018

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

16 November 2018

UN rapporteur says government has ‘inflicted great misery’ on disabled people. 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

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

4 July 2019

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

14 November 2019

Statistics show most disability benefit fraud allegations are false. 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

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

8 July 2020

Report from Justice Department shows need for improvement in benefits decision-making.  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 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

11 February 2021

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

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

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

8 December 2021

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

2 June 2022

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