Minister warned about mental pressure of benefits system after applicant kills himself
Coroner issues report to work and pensions chief, Mel Stride, following inquest into death of man with severe depression
A coroner has written to work and pensions secretary Mel Stride warning that processes in the benefit system can worsen symptoms of mental illness after a man killed himself amid fears over his application for universal credit.
Kirsty Gomersal, the area coroner for Cumbria, issued a prevention of future deaths (PFD) report to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) following an inquest into the death of man diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety who took his own life in March.
In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counsellor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org