By Forgotten Rights
Every time a politician says “tough decisions have to be made”, someone like us dies. And that’s not exaggeration—that’s fact.
The UK government loves to pretend that sanctions and “fit for work” tests are about fairness. They tell the public:
“We’re just making sure the system isn’t abused.”
Here’s the truth:
This system kills people. And they know it.
The Numbers They Can’t Spin
- Between 2014 and 2021, more than 200 people died after being declared ‘fit for work’ by the DWP.
- Over 80 people took their own lives in that period following benefit decisions.
(Source: DWP internal reviews, FOI requests)
And those are the numbers they admit to. The real total? Probably much higher.
Real Lives Lost to Policy
- Jodey Whiting, 42, died after her benefits were stopped for missing an appointment—while she was in hospital with pneumonia.
- Errol Graham, 57, starved to death after the DWP cut off his money. When his body was found, he weighed just 30kg.
- Philippa Day, 27, died after an overdose, days after begging the DWP to fix an error that cut her benefits.
These aren’t “isolated incidents.” They are the predictable result of a system built on cruelty.
Why This Happens
Because punishing the vulnerable makes good headlines. It makes ministers look “tough on fraud” (even though fraud is less than 1%). It feeds the myth that we’re all lazy liars while the real crooks—politicians and corporations—walk away with billions.
They could stop this tomorrow. They choose not to.
What You Can Do
✅ Share this. Let people know these deaths aren’t accidents—they’re policy.
✅ Write to your MP. Demand an end to sanctions and punitive assessments.
✅ Support Forgotten Rights on [Ko-fi], [Patreon], or with a donation—so we can keep telling the truth they want buried.
Because the truth is this:
They say “tough decisions.”
We say state-sanctioned death sentences.
🔥 Next week: “Follow the Money” – How MPs burn billions while calling us a burden.