Government Cuts And Suicide

There is "anecdotal evidence" of people committing suicide after losing their benefits following a reassessment, an MP has claimed. A freedom of information request revealed that between January and August last year, 1,100 people had died after they lost their benefits. "There is some anecdotal evidence of suicides taking place of people who have lost benefits.

The campaign against David Cameron's welfare reforms has reached a new low. Earlier this year, reform-allergic campaigners sought to circumvent democracy and public debate by pleading with the House of Lords to strike down Cameron's allegedly wicked reforms. Now they are circumventing good taste and decency by trying to marshal to their political cause the [...]

Senior jobcentre executives have warned staff of the risk of benefit claimants attempting suicide as controversial changes to sickness benefits are being pushed through. The warning, contained in an internal email sent to staff by three senior managers of the government-run jobcentres, warns staff that ill-handling of benefit changes for vulnerable claimants could have "profound results" and highlights the case of one suicide attempt this year.

In the last few months of his life, Craig Monk attempted several overdoses and was described as 'vulnerable' by his family. An accident a few years before had resulted in the partial amputation of his leg and he had suffered unnecessary, and anxiety-inducing, obstructions in receiving state assistance - even though his disability was clear for all see.

The BBC have found that suicide rates are higher under a Tory government. This, they found, was certainly the case under Margaret Thatcher's time in office. ( see here). The 10 cases below add to the statistical evidence included that this same trend is returning.

The founder of a mental health campaign group claims that vulnerable people are killing themselves due to cuts in public services. Kelly Boylin, from Flint, says people are waiting too long for support. The group, Kim's Voice, was set up in memory of Ms Boylin's sister who committed suicide four years ago.