Thousands Died After Being Deemed "Fit For Work" By The Government

The mortality statistics were released in a report by the DWP earlier today.

Over 2,300 people died shortly after their unemployment benefits ended and they were declared "fit for work" between 2011 and 2014, according to figures released today.

Work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith.

Stefan Wermuth / Reuters

The figures, released in a report by the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) today, looked at those who have died after claiming employment and support allowance (ESA), incapacity benefit (IB) or severe disablement allowance.

The report showed that more than 2,300 people died after losing their claim for ESA and being declared "fit for work," between December 2011 and February 2014.

However, the DWP insisted it was impossible to a direct link between people losing benefits and dying as they do not hold information on the cause of death, meaning any "causal effect" between benefits and mortality "cannot be assumed from these statistics."

They also stress that the mortality rate of those on incapacity benefits was "in line with the mortality rate for the general working-age population" and stated the mortality rate for out-of-work working age benefit claimants has fallen between 2003 and 2013.

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady called these findings "disturbing" and has called for an "urgent" enquiry into into the government's back-to-work regime.

"The fact that more than 80 people are dying each month shortly after being declared 'fit for work' should concern us all. We need a welfare system that supports people to find decent jobs not one that causes stress and ill health," O'Grady said.

The DWP figures showed that 40,000 people – from a total of more than 2 million – died between 1 May 2010 and 28 February 2013 after having their capability to work assessed by government agencies.

Following recent changes to welfare reforms, The Sunday Herald reported that frontline staff have been provided with a six-point plan detailing how to talk to the claimants who threaten to self harm or take their own life.

In one of the points, staff are told that although they may have "thoughts and feelings" about dealing with suicidal claimants, they stress that it's "all part of the process of coping with the experience and is normal".

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