10 March 2022

What: A work coach tells Disability News Service – with her evidence later backed up by other work coaches – that harsh new DWP policies that are forcing more disabled people to attend weekly face-to-face jobcentre meetings could lead to claimants taking their own lives. She says work coaches are being ‘bullied and harassed’ into forcing claimants with significant mental distress into attending work-related meetings. Many of them have been waiting months for a WCA and will eventually be found not fit for work. But until that happens, they are being forced to make weekly trips to the jobcentre so that work coaches can meet their targets for face-to-face appointments.

Why significant: Evidence of continuing harm and lack of duty of care by DWP.