A 60-year-old father with depression killed himself after being deemed “fit for work” by a government disability assessment, a coroner has ruled. It is understood to be the first time welfare reforms have been held directly accountable for a death.
Michael O'Sullivan had been diagnosed with recurrent depression by three doctors and certified as unable to work by his GP. But his disability benefits were removed when he was declared fit to work after a controversial work capability assessment.
Senior coroner Mary Hassell found that this decision directly led the father from north London to hang himself in 2013. The case has come to light now after being revealed by the Disability News Service.
In her report to the Department for Work and Pensions, titled Prevention of Future Deaths, Hassell stated that the department's assessing doctor did not acknowledge the opinions of medical professionals who had declared him unfit for work. Hassell also stated that ultimate decision-maker was not medically qualified and had failed to request important reports from O'Sullivan's GP.
O'Sullivan, who had a history of mental illnesses, had been receiving income support for over 10 years, before undertaking two work capability assessments in 2012 and 2013.
Mental health and disability campaigners have warned that the government's controversial welfare reforms are leading to suicides. In December last year it emerged that the DWP had carried out secret investigations into 60 cases.
In her report, Hassell warned the department that action should be taken to prevent further tragedies.
A recent report by the DWP showed that between between December 2011 and February 2014 more than 2,300 people died after losing their disability welfare and being declared "fit for work". However, the DWP insisted that a causal link between people losing benefits and dying "cannot be assumed from these statistics."
However, in August TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady called for an urgent enquiry into the government's back-to-work regime. "These disturbing findings cannot be swept under the carpet," she said. "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."
Responding to the O'Sullivan case, a DWP spokesperson said: "Suicide is a tragic and complex issue and we take these matters extremely seriously.
"Following reforms to the work capability assessment, which was introduced in 2008, people are getting more tailored support to return to work instead of being written off on long term sickness benefits as happened too often in the past.
"We have made significant improvements to the Work Capability assessment following 5 independent reviews to ensure that support goes to those who need it most."