Joy Dove, mother of Jodey Whiting, at an anti–welfare cuts protest in Parliament Square. Whiting, sadly, died by suicide at the age of 42. Prior to her death, she experienced the traumatic chain of events caused when her benefits were incorrectly terminated. This rally, organized by Disabled People Against Cuts, served as a platform for Dove to share her daughter’s story and advocate for systemic change.
When Jodey Whiting’s benefits were suddenly cut off in January 2017. In one case, a toddler missed a required medical assessment because she was in the hospital recovering from pneumonia. Later diagnosed with a cyst on the brain, Whiting’s worsening health condition brought on additional anxiety as Whiting further stressed over her finances. The coroner would later rule that she died from fear. She was afraid that she wouldn’t be able to pay her bills or buy healthy food.
Joy Dove has been a tireless warrior for justice for her daughter. Her tireless campaigning led to a second inquest into Whiting’s death. This came after a complex legal wrangle that had gone as far as the Court of Appeal. At the rally, Dove held up a photo of Jodey with pride. In it, she courageously wrote about the impact of welfare cuts on some of our most vulnerable citizens.
“I’ve brought Jodey’s picture and I think she’s supporting me every step of the way.” – Joy Dove
Speaking at the rally, Dove echoed the painful truth for most people put in this kind of predicament. She noted how the cuts have affected others:
“When the cuts were announced I had people on the Justice for Jodey site saying they’d considered taking their own lives. But then they’d seen her case and realized there is a way to carry on.” – Joy Dove
The rally aimed to raise awareness about the implications of the proposed welfare cuts and to push for more inclusive policies. Dove is a passionate and active advocate for the rights of disabled people and their families. As part of her continuing activism, she is very much engaged with the Disabled Mothers’ Rights Campaign.
In response to the rally’s concerns, a DWP spokesperson told gov-uk that their purpose “disability benefits were never intended to be a route into work. They stated, “We’re delivering one of the biggest and most ambitious packages of welfare reforms in a generation to put the system on a sustainable footing and ensure the safety net will always be there for those who need it.” Furthermore, they emphasized their commitment to including disabled individuals in future assessments, asserting that “we are putting disabled people at the heart of a ministerial review of the PIP assessment to make sure it is fit for the future.”
