(Cross-posted from Jayne Linney)
We know from the official DWP report that between January & November 2011 10,600 disabled people either in receipt of or awaiting benefits died.
Since then the DWP have, despite numerous requests refused to release further updates; we can only speculate their reason why, as we can only surmise just how many more disabled people have since lost their lives?
It is well documented how the ‘Scrounger‘ rhetoric have adversely affected disabled people and those who are chronically ill, and even Esther McVey – Minister of State for DWP stated she “would not disagree” when it was put to her in October 2013 that “ hundreds or even thousands of people who had died sooner than they should have done, or had a much lower quality of life over their last few weeks or months because of their experience of the WCA.”.
From this we believe it is safe to presume there has been an increase in the number of annual deaths of disabled people in 2012 & 2013; given the loss of life in 2011 was 10,600, even a 2% increase per annum would result in 12,720 in 2012 and a startling 15,264 in 2013. That would give a overall figure of 38,564 deaths over the 3 years the Coalition has been in Government.
Is this shocking statistic what the DWP don’t want us to know?
Jayne Linney: I’m a disabled woman, a life long feminist and Social Activist- I write from a personal perspective, usually about the current Political climate and its affects on disabled people. On Twitter @JayneLinney
Director DEAEP – Social Enterprise ran by & for disabled people
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/jayne.linney
