Philippa Day's family call for urgent changes to benefits system

[Northerner]

The family of Philippa Day, a single mother who died from a deliberate overdose after a series of official failings led to her disability benefits being cut off for months, has called on the government to urgently fix “systemic” problems in the benefits system.

Imogen Day, the younger sister of Philippa, who died in October 2019, said urgent change was needed to break down the “constant cold and unsympathetic wall of resistance” that her sister encountered as she tried to get her benefits reinstated.

The family’s call for major improvements to the way disability benefit claims are handled was backed by politicians and campaigners. Labour said the “shocking” treatment of Philippa Day made the case for change impossible for ministers to ignore.

A devastating inquest report on Wednesday into Day’s death identified 28 different errors in the handling of her case by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and its private contractor Capita, and highlighted serious structural failings in the benefit system.

Day, 27, of Nottingham, had a long history of serious mental illness and was diabetic and agoraphobic, yet benefits officials failed repeatedly to acknowledge her vulnerabilities on their files or recognise she needed specialist support.

Philippa Day's family call for urgent changes to benefits system

Inquest found single mother took fatal overdose after systemic failures led to disability benefits being cut off

www.theguardian.com

Words fail me at the deliberate, widespread cruelty of the benefits system over the past decade

 

[Vonny]

Use of a private contractor....says it all really. Disgraceful, and they should really be tried for murder imho.

 

[trophywench]

Huh - last place I ever worked was a 'middle terrace' in a 3 storey office terrace. CAMHS one side of us; Capita the other.

I frequently wondered when someone would attack either. Used to get quite a few ? folk lurking round the front and rear of the BPAS premises just round the corner - Always thought it must have been vile for any of their clients - bad enough needing to visit without fear of attack either physical or verbal whilst doing so.

 

[Amity Island]

The family of Philippa Day, a single mother who died from a deliberate overdose after a series of official failings led to her disability benefits being cut off for months, has called on the government to urgently fix “systemic” problems in the benefits system.

Imogen Day, the younger sister of Philippa, who died in October 2019, said urgent change was needed to break down the “constant cold and unsympathetic wall of resistance” that her sister encountered as she tried to get her benefits reinstated.

The family’s call for major improvements to the way disability benefit claims are handled was backed by politicians and campaigners. Labour said the “shocking” treatment of Philippa Day made the case for change impossible for ministers to ignore.

A devastating inquest report on Wednesday into Day’s death identified 28 different errors in the handling of her case by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and its private contractor Capita, and highlighted serious structural failings in the benefit system.

Day, 27, of Nottingham, had a long history of serious mental illness and was diabetic and agoraphobic, yet benefits officials failed repeatedly to acknowledge her vulnerabilities on their files or recognise she needed specialist support.

Philippa Day's family call for urgent changes to benefits system

Inquest found single mother took fatal overdose after systemic failures led to disability benefits being cut off

www.theguardian.com

Words fail me at the deliberate, widespread cruelty of the benefits system over the past decade

Awful...truly awful.

For something like this to happen requires people to blindly, without question to follow orders. Everyone knows in their own heart when something isn't right, we know when someone is asking for help in desperate need. It takes less time to do a thing right than to explain why you did it wrong.

What's happened to integrity?

 

[mikeyB]

Absolutely right, @Amity Island. People who work in the DWP are civil servants. The Civil Service is tasked to carry out the policies of the government. There is no room for discretion, and no room for common sense. Attacking the DWP is attacking the wrong target, because they can't change policy. And they can't sack Capita.

 

[Amity Island]

Absolutely right, @Amity Island. People who work in the DWP are civil servants. The Civil Service is tasked to carry out the policies of the government. There is no room for discretion, and no room for common sense. Attacking the DWP is attacking the wrong target, because they can't change policy. And they can't sack Capita.

MikeyB,

When I get a like from you, it makes my day. I know it counts for something. A bit like when Simon Cowell presses the golden buzzer on Britains Got Talent!

Its euphoria. Lol.

 

[nonethewiser]

Awful...truly awful.

For something like this to happen requires people to blindly, without question to follow orders. Everyone knows in their own heart when something isn't right, we know when someone is asking for help in desperate need. It takes less time to do a thing right than to explain why you did it wrong.

What's happened to integrity?

So well said friend, terrible tragedy.

 

[Amigo]

Absolutely right, @Amity Island. People who work in the DWP are civil servants. The Civil Service is tasked to carry out the policies of the government. There is no room for discretion, and no room for common sense. Attacking the DWP is attacking the wrong target, because they can't change policy. And they can't sack Capita.

This case wasn’t entirely about the DWP adhering without discretion to governmental policies Mike. The Coroner highlighted 28 failures in the procedures and systems which seemingly pushed this woman over the edge. Staff had insufficient mental health understanding and there were serious communication problems. As is often the case, her form went missing and the staff were specifically requested to inform her CPN if a personal interview was necessary. They failed to do so.
Having worked at the DWP too in the dim and distant past, I know it’s often an unenviable job made worse by ill equipped contractors taking on roles with money saving targets as their remit.

Hope you’re keeping well 🙂

 

[Inka]

Every part of the benefits system seems designed to grind people down and make them give up. It’s part of the mentality, I think. Instead of sorting out the small numbers people who abuse the system, they use sanctions to go for easy targets. Some members of staff also delight in treating people like cr@p.

They’ve completely lost sight of their purpose and their humanity.

 

[Amity Island]

Every part of the benefits system seems designed to grind people down and make them give up. It’s part of the mentality, I think. Instead of sorting out the small numbers people who abuse the system, they use sanctions to go for easy targets. Some members of staff also delight in treating people like cr@p.

They’ve completely lost sight of their purpose and their humanity.

Very nicely summarised @Inka

Systems de-humanise. Standardisation de-humanises and mechanisation leaves people without jobs.

They leave no room for meaningful human thought or contemplation, they take away an individuals character, uniqueness, quirks, the possiblilty of discovering anything by chance. Take a simple pot by example, yes it's quicker, neater, more profitable to slip-cast pottery en-masse but you can't tell who has made each and every one, no marks of the maker, nothing unique about each pot.

As you say, systems grind people down and you can't beat a system.

 

[Amity Island]

Every part of the benefits system seems designed to grind people down and make them give up. It’s part of the mentality, I think. Instead of sorting out the small numbers people who abuse the system, they use sanctions to go for easy targets. Some members of staff also delight in treating people like cr@p.

They’ve completely lost sight of their purpose and their humanity.

It's also not very reassuring that these things are happening on a regular basis, it doesn't give any confidence in a benefits system if one ever ends up in a similar situation where you need to rely on them.

A universal basic income (U.B.I) would go some way to addressing these issues, nobody would ever be in a position where they are left with nothing.