INQUIRY INTO DEATHS LINKED TO WORK CAPABILITY ASSESSMENTS

That this House regrets the tragic death of Jodey Whiting in February 2017 who took her life 15 days after her disability benefits were stopped for missing a work Capability Assessment when she was seriously ill; believes this was the latest avoidable tragedy to be caused by the failings of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP); condemns the inhumane way in which the DWP is implementing the UK Government's draconian austerity measures; notes the Justice for Jodey Whiting petition online which has gathered almost 40,000 signatures; calls for an independent inquiry to investigate DWP failings in relation to those deaths; and further calls for the DWP to urgently change its policies and administration of social security benefits to make the safety of all claimants a priority.