Mum and aspiring nurse wrongly chased for money by DWP and now they're dead
A mum-of-four found dead at her home aged 46, 'frustrated to the point of desperation' by the benefits system and an aspiring nurse wrongly chased for more than £1,000 ,who sadly took her own life at the age of 31.
These were two lives cut tragically short in Greater Manchester. Two coroners and both their families agree these women were tormented over benefits, reports the MEN.
The two were harangued by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), regarding supposed debts running into the hundreds and thousands. However that turned out to be erroneous.
They faced losing their own homes as a result, because DWP failures led to their housing benefits being revoked.
Last week, protesters took over a hotel in Manchester where DWP consultants were discussing the government's incoming benefits reforms. The proposed cuts include changes to the personal independence payment (PIP), carer's allowance, and universal credit.
The campaigners gave a grave warning: People have died because of cuts to their benefits, and it will happen again.
"People who say being on benefits is a lifestyle choice are taking the Mickey. These cuts will push up the suicide rate among disabled people," protester Dr Dylan Murphy, 56, told the Manchester Evening News.
"It's causing immense stress and fear to people terrified they are going to lose their lifeline."
The Manchester Evening News has covered at least two deaths in recent years linked to dire DWP failings – with both people being chased by the government arm for debts it said were owed, then proven to be completely false.
Kristie Hunt was just 31 when she died by suicide following an overdose in November 2023.
Kristie, who received disability benefits, lived in Swinburne Green in Stockport. She was known to family and friends as 'Krissi' and was a bright, vivacious young woman who cared deeply about other people and aspired to be a nurse, her family said.
She had been diagnosed with a number of mental health conditions, and had a history of substance abuse and self-harm.
Kristie had been getting Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP). She rejoined the workforce after a 13-year break.
(Image: Manchester Evening News)
But Kristie's call to the DWP to inform them of her new employment wasn't documented – and she was investigated by the counter-fraud team, was issued a wrongful penalty charge, and was chased to pay back ESA money falsely determined by the DWP to be an overpayment.
The DWP also sent incorrect information to Stockport Council, the inquest heard, which led to the local authority wrongly telling Kristie she owed more than £800 in housing benefit.
It meant the DWP and the local authority were wrongly coming after Kristie for more than £1,000 for months, until just weeks before her death.
"At the time of taking the overdose there were a number of factors which on the day, or in the preceding days/weeks, likely impacted adversely on Kristie Ann Hunt's state of mind and likely contributed to her actions," the coroner's conclusion read.
Leigh Day said: "During Kristie's final call with the department about her ESA claim on 30 October 2023, she was noted to be confused and tearful throughout, yet she was not even asked whether she was okay."
Colin Barrow, Kristie's stepdad said: "Knowing Krissi, she would have felt the pressures of the DWP reported debts. Even with the positive aspects of her new job she would have been in a panic.
"She would have thought her flat would be in jeopardy. But she continued with her new job and looking positive. All the stresses she experienced close to her death would have been too much for her and she would have put on a brave face that she wanted people to see especially at work."
The family of mum-of-four Karen McBride say she suffered the same experiences before she was found dead at home at 46 in August 2022.
The 2023 inquest into Karen's death heard from the family about 'erroneous debt' and an 'issue with housing benefit right from the beginning'.
The inquest was told how Karen had also received a letter from Tameside Council in March 2022 telling her that her housing benefit had been suspended. She also received a letter from her housing association that she was in rent arrears, as her rent was paid through housing benefit.
(Image: Manchester Evening News)
The 'apparent issue' was her son turning 19 affecting her entitlement to housing benefit. Karen's daughter, Codie, said the debt was 'pursued for many months' with letters continuing, but it turned out to be an error.
"We now know that the housing benefit should never have been stopped, as regardless of my brother's age, mum was in receipt of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) which means her housing benefit entitlement would remain the same.
"She was desperately overwhelmed. She was spiralling into a dark place and whenever she rang to find out what was happening and asked about the letters she had received she would be told they were just automated and she should just ignore them. For mum, this was much easier said than done."
Karen Milner, from the council tax team at Tameside Council, said the Department for Work and Pensions notified the council to say a 'non-dependent' was living at the house, but on the council's records it said 'dependent'. That's why, she said, payments to Karen were suspended.
Ms Milner said information was processed based on what details the council had and denied the council had made an error.
Karen had been paid Personal Independence Payment (PIP) since 2016 – and that was extended after a review until July 2023, the inquest heard, but Ms Milner said the council was not notified it had been extended. The council, heard the inquest, thought that Karen had not been in receipt of PIP after February, 2020.
The coroner said the inquest highlighted the 'complexities of navigating the benefits system' and said the evidence showed she was 'frustrated to the point of desperation', but ruled that he didn't agree 'the state' should have been aware of a risk to her life.
A DWP spokesperson said: "Our sincerest condolences are with the family and friends of Ms Hunt and Ms McBride in these tragic cases.
"Our aim is always to provide the best possible support to those who need it, ensuring they can access the appropriate services."
Despite these deaths and last week's protest taking place in Greater Manchester, the region is being held up as exercising best practice as the DWP moves towards the sweeping benefits overhaul.
In a report published this week on May 15, Parliament's Work and Pensions Committee praised Greater Manchester's involvement of disabled people in 'challenging policies' made within the region that affect them.
The committee, chaired by Greater Manchester MP Debbie Abrahams, said the region's efforts should be replicated so the 'DWP is more likely to prevent vulnerable claimants from experiencing harm' from any incoming benefits reforms.
"One example of a disabled people's panel is in Greater Manchester Combined Authority. This was established in 2019 to ensure disabled people were better involved and represented in all aspects of funding and planning for the city region, including shaping, influencing, and challenging policies," reads the report.
"The panel includes 17 disabled people's organisations, which are organisations that are majority or wholly led and run by disabled people.
"To ensure that it incorporates the expertise of people with lived experience of the benefit system, DWP should set up a reference group similar to the Greater Manchester Disabled People's Panel to help shape safeguarding policy."
For the protesters outside the Manchester hotel last week, the committee's recommendations are already coming too late.
The campaigners claim the DWP's consultation in Manchester was not 'public' at all – as those who could not get one of just '20 tickets' were refused entry to the event.
Shouts called it a 'consulta-sham', with protesters asking 'would you be happy if your income was going to be cut by a third, and only 20 of you were asked if you wanted that?'
The DWP also came under fire from protesters for not putting the most controversial planned benefit changes up for discussion, including plans to scrap the Work Capability Assessment, freezing payments for Universal Credit's health element, and the new tougher requirement to receive PIP's daily living component.
Government statistics show 800,000 people will miss out on an average of £4,500 annually from PIP cuts. A further 150,000 people will lose carer's allowance, and almost three million will also lose out from changes to Universal Credit.
The government's own figures have shown the reforms could push 250,000 people into poverty. But ministers say £5 billion needs to be saved by the end of the decade.
"Lots of us are already having to go to food banks, I've been referred to one," protester Dennis Queen, 52, told the M.E.N.
"I'm just surviving month to month, and I have three young adults living with me who I'm trying to feed as well.
"People are going to have their income cut by a third, I don't know anybody who would find that manageable – yet the government is coming for the people who have the absolute least."
The Department for Work and Pensions has been contacted for comment.
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