DWP director speaks at Jodey Whiting inquest as mum says her death 'should never have happened'

NewsDWP director speaks at Jodey Whiting inquest as mum says her death 'should never have happened'Joy Dove said her daughter was shaking, crying and looked like she had 'lost all hope'

after receiving a second letter saying she was deemed 'fit to work'gazetteliveBookmarkShareNewsByNaomi CorriganMulti-media Journalist15:47, 2 JUN 2025BookmarkVideo LoadingVideo

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A heartbroken mum fought back tears as she told an inquest she was adamant her "beautiful" daughter took her own life because her benefits were withdrawn.

Joy Dove said her daughter Jodey Whiting became physically and emotionally "rundown" after the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) sent a letter saying her benefits would stop as she had

missed a work capability assessment. The 71-year-old told Teesside Coroner's Court that Jodey, who suffered with chronic back pain and mental illness, had missed the appointment letter

due to being in hospital with pneumonia at the time.

She helped her daughter try to appeal the decision but was again told the DWP deemed her fit for work and her Employment Support Allowance would be cut. This also meant her housing benefit

and council tax benefit would be withdrawn.

A DWP director has said at the second inquest that the organisation should have recognised Ms Whiting had "good cause" not to attend a health assessment. Helga Swidenbank said there is a

"culture shift" within the organisation to be "much more compassionate".

Following Jodey's tragic death on February 21, 2017, an inquiry by the Independent Case Examiner (ICE) found that the DWP had made failings in Jodey's case. An independent

consultant psychiatrist also supported Mrs Dove's view that the impact of the decision to cut her benefits would have affected her mental health and there was likely to be a causal link

in her taking her own life.

Speaking at the inquest, Helga Swidenbank, a DWP director for disability services, said the organisation should have recognised that Ms Whiting had "good cause" not to attend a health

assessment, given her illnesses and mental health concerns. The witness told the hearing: "I was not in post at the time but those who I have spoken to are deeply regretful and sorry about

what happened.

"There were a number of opportunities to have picked up concerns about Jodey and we are very sorry about that." Ms Swidenbank said the organisation was now more focused on people's

vulnerabilities, although this remained a "work in progress".

She added: "I understand that there is a culture shift from being process-driven to being much more compassionate. We are not there yet, we still have more work to do."

'Don't worry Jodey, we'll write to them and explain'

Giving evidence on Monday, Mrs Dove said her daughter was housebound and had endured back pain from her early 20s. She also suffered with depression and had emotionally unstable personality

disorder.

The 42-year-old mum-of-nine and grandmother-of-six was housebound, said her mum. She had therefore been worried about paying bills after being told her benefits would be stopped.

Mrs Dove told the inquest: "I said, 'Don't worry Jodey, we'll write to them and explain how you've been in hospital and you're still convalescent and give them the

list of all your medication and I listed anything and everything. I did it on her behalf for her to sign and we sent it off."

Mrs Dove said she fought for her daughter, going herself to the Jobcentre on February 20 to explain her the situation. But a second letter came in February saying the DWP had determined

Jodey had no good reason to miss the assessment and therefore they considered her fit for work, the inquest was told.

"I can remember my daughter's face," she said. "'She said, 'Mam what am I going to do?' She started crying, saying, I I can't breathe, I can't walk out of that

door.'

"She felt desperate and looked like she had lost all hope and said she would have nothing to live on and would be destitute. She couldn't believe it and I couldn't either."

Jodey Whiting (left) with her sister Donna (middle) and her mum Joy (right)

Jodey messaged her mum later that night and that was the last she heard from her. Jodey had been due stay at a relative's house for a few days but didn't turn up.

In a panic, Mrs Dove went to her daughter's home where she was found deceased.

Jodey had taken an overdose of prescription medication, leaving notes to her relatives, "telling them to be strong", said Mrs Dove. The inquest heard Jodey had spoken in the letters of

needing help and support and not being able to walk anywhere without suffering extreme pain in her back.

She also spoke of difficulties of paying her bills and being in debt, the inquest heard. A post-mortem found she had died from the synergistic effects of morphine, amitriptyline and

pregabalin.

"It should never have happened," said her mum. She said she was sure that the stress of losing her benefits led to Jodey taking her own life.

In the following April, Mrs Dove said a letter was sent from the DWP in early April, which said Jodey did in fact have good reason not to attend the appointment and was entitled to the

benefits that had been stopped.

Mrs Dove had fought for a second inquest into her daughter’s death after a first hearing in 2017 heard no evidence relating to the DWP. She was granted permission in March 2023, when the

Court of Appeal ruled that a further inquest was needed in the interests of justice.

Naomi Corrigan)

Mrs Dove and Jodey's father, Eric Whiting, both told the inquest of the impact of the loss of their "beautiful" daughter. Mrs Dove said: "My beautiful daughter was the most caring

person ever. We were so close and I miss her so much. She would do anything for anyone, she did not mind helping anyone. Everything was good until her illness got the better of her. I helped

her in any way I could.

"She coped with everything the best she could. She was the perfect daughter and I wish she was still here."

She said to learn from the ICE report of "the number of failings by the DWP" in relation to her daughter's claim was "a further deep shock". Mr Whiting told the inquest: "My daughter

Jodey stood out from the crowd. She loved to wear bright clothing and jewellery. She had the biggest blue eyes and a personality to match."

He said his daughter was like the "Pied Pier" as she loved children and always had them around her. She always saw the fun side of life, he said, until her health deteriorated. He added:

"They say time heals but I'm still waiting. I've lost a beautiful daughter who I think of every day."

The inquest continues.

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