7 April 2022

What: In its new strategic plan, the Equality and Human Rights Commission confirms that it no longer plans to launch an inquiry into links between DWP’s work capability assessment and the deaths of claimants. It had originally promised to carry out an inquiry after being approached in April 2019 by Labour MP Debbie Abrahams. Its previous three-year strategic plan had promised to ‘focus on the issues affecting the most disadvantaged in society’ and ‘tackle discriminatory decision-making in the social security system’, but its new three-year strategic plan includes no such pledge.

Why significant: Confirmation that EHRC – with continuing concerns over its independence from the government – has abandoned its pledge to investigate deaths linked to the benefits system.