Sign The Petition For An Inquiry Into The Benefit Sanctions That Killed David Clapson by johnny void

Posted by : Unknown Wednesday 30 July 2014

Sign The Petition For An Inquiry Into The Benefit Sanctions That Killed David Clapson

The family of David Clapson - the former soldier who recently died after his benefits were stopped as punishment for missing a meeting at the Jobcentre - have launched a petitioncalling for an inquiry into benefit sanctions.

In his sister's own words:

"My brother, David Clapson, a diabetic ex-soldier, died starving and destitute because he was penalised by the Job Centre for missing a meeting.

"David had his £71.70 weekly allowance stopped meaning that he couldn’t afford food or electricity. He was penniless, starving and alone. His electricity card was out of credit meaning the fridge where he should have kept his diabetes insulin chilled was not working. Three weeks after his benefits were stopped he died from diabetic ketoacidosis – caused by not taking his insulin.

"David wasn’t a “scrounger”. He had worked for 29 years; 5 years in the Army – including two years in Northern Ireland in the 1970s, during the height of the troubles – 16 years with British Telecom, eight years with various other companies, and in recent years was a carer for our sick mother. When mum went into a home, David turned to the state for help, receiving benefits while he looked for work and taking unpaid work placements.

"When he died he had just £3.44 to his name, six tea bags, a tin of soup and an out-of-date can of sardines. A coroner also found he had no food in his stomach.

"People turn to the state when they are in need - that is what the system is for - a safety net for hard working people like my brother when they need a bit of support. That £71.70 a week was his lifeline. To withhold it from him for missing one meeting is cruel. And the heartbreaking thing is that he was really trying. CVs for job applications were found near David’s body. He had been on work placements, passed his fork lift truck certificate and had been on a computer training course."

Please sign, share, tweet and blog this. Let's make sure this tragic story does not go away.

You can also sign the petition calling for benefits sanctions to be scrapped without exceptions.