1 February 2019
What: DWP figures reveal that about 1,600 working-age disabled people are dying every year after having their claim for disability benefits rejected. The figures show that 7,990 disabled people who lodged a claim for PIP in the five years after the new benefit was launched in April 2013 had died within six months of registering their claim, while also having that claim rejected (before any mandatory reconsideration or appeal). Another set of figures released by DWP shows 3,680 disabled people – or more than 60 a month – died within three months of their initial PIP applications being rejected by DWP
Why significant: Further evidence to suggest that thousands of seriously-ill claimants are being wrongly denied PIP and that this is killing people.