22 January 2019

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

What: The Department of Health and Social Care’s first Cross-Government Suicide Prevention Workplan fails to include DWP in a plan aimed at reducing suicides, despite years of evidence linking such deaths with the disability benefits system and social security reforms. ESA and universal credit claimants are not included among the high-risk groups mentioned in the work plan.

Significant: Shows wider government overlooking of evidence of links between DWP and suicides.