Police called to protest at a DWP consultation event at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Manchester City Centre . 7 May 2025 (Image: Manchester Evening News)
A mother of four, driven to the brink by the benefits system, was found dead at her home at the age of 46, and a hopeful nurse who was erroneously pursued for over £1,000 took her own life at just 31. These two lives were tragically cut short in Greater Manchester. Both their families and two coroners concur that these women were plagued by issues surrounding benefits.
Both were hounded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) over alleged debts amounting to hundreds and thousands – which later proved to be mistakes. Both faced the threat of losing their homes due to DWP errors resulting in their housing benefits being withdrawn.
Last week, demonstrators occupied a hotel in Manchester where DWP consultants were discussing the government’s forthcoming benefits reforms. The proposed reductions include alterations to the personal independence payment (PIP), carer’s allowance, and universal credit, reports the Manchester Evening News. The protesters issued a stark warning: People have died as a result of benefit cuts, and it will happen again.
“People who say being on benefits is a lifestyle choice are taking the Mickey. These cuts will increase the suicide rate among disabled people,” protester Dr Dylan Murphy, 56, told the Manchester Evening News. It’s causing immense stress and fear to people terrified they are going to lose their lifeline.”
The Manchester Evening News has reported on at least two fatalities in recent years connected to severe DWP shortcomings – with both individuals being pursued by the government department for debts it claimed were due, only to be later proven entirely incorrect. Kristie Hunt was a mere 31 when she tragically took her own life following an overdose in November 2023.
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Karen McBride died aged 46 (left) and Kristie Hunt died aged 31 (right (Image: )
Kristie, a recipient of disability benefits, resided in Swinburne Green in Stockport. Known to her loved ones as ‘Krissi’, she was a vibrant, lively young woman who deeply cared for others and had aspirations of becoming a nurse, according to her family. She had been diagnosed with several mental health conditions and had a history of substance misuse and self-harm.
Kristie had been receiving Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP). After a 13-year hiatus, she re-entered the workforce. However, Kristie’s call to the DWP to notify them of her new job went unrecorded – leading to an investigation by the counter-fraud team, a wrongful penalty charge, and demands to repay ESA money falsely deemed by the DWP as an overpayment.
The DWP also provided incorrect information to Stockport Council, the inquest heard, resulting in the local authority erroneously informing Kristie that she owed more than £800 in housing benefit. This meant that both the DWP and the local council were mistakenly pursuing Kristie for over £1,000 for months, up until just weeks before her untimely death.
“At the time of taking the overdose there were a number of factors which on the day, or in the preceding days/weeks, likely impacted adversely on Kristie Ann Hunt’s state of mind and likely contributed to her actions,” stated the coroner’s conclusion. Leigh Day commented: “During Kristie’s final call with the department about her ESA claim on 30 October 2023, she was noted to be confused and tearful throughout, yet she was not even asked whether she was okay.”
Kristie’s stepfather Colin Barrow remarked: “Knowing Krissi, she would have felt the pressures of the DWP reported debts. Even with the positive aspects of her new job she would have been in a panic. She would have thought her flat would be in jeopardy. But she continued with her new job and looking positive. All the stresses she experienced close to her death would have been too much for her and she would have put on a brave face that she wanted people to see especially at work.”
Karen McBride was a respected anti-poverty campaigner (Image: )
The family of the late mother-of-four Karen McBride assert that she endured similar tribulations before being found deceased at her residence, aged 46, in August 2022. At the 2023 inquest attending to Karen’s passing, her family conveyed concerns regarding ‘erroneous debt’ and perpetual ‘issue with housing benefit right from the beginning’.
The inquest heard the distressing account of how Karen received a letter from Tameside Council in March 2022, informing her that her housing benefit had been temporarily halted. Additionally, she was notified by her housing association of rent arrears as her rent payment had depended on housing benefit.
The confusion began when Karen’s son turned 19, which seemingly impacted her eligibility for housing benefit. Her daughter Codie revealed that they were badgered with letters over an extended period; yet, it eventually came to light that it had all been a mistake.
“We now know that the housing benefit should never have been stopped, as regardless of my brother’s age, mum was in receipt of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) which means her housing benefit entitlement would remain the same. She was desperately overwhelmed. She was spiralling into a dark place and whenever she rang to find out what was happening and asked about the letters she had received she would be told they were just automated and she should just ignore them. For mum, this was much easier said than done.”
Karen Milner from Tameside Council’s council tax team disclosed to the inquest that the reason for the halt was due to a notification from the Department for Work and Pensions indicating a ‘non-dependent’ residing in the house, conflicting with the council’s records that listed a ‘dependent’. This discrepancy resulted in the suspension of Karen’s payments.
Ms Milner asserted that the council’s actions were based on the information available to them at the time and refuted any claim of error on their part. Karen had been granted Personal Independence Payment (PIP) since 2016 – continued post-review until July 2023, the inquest was informed; however, Ms Milner conveyed the council’s lack of notification regarding the extension. The inquest gathered that the council mistakenly believed Karen’s PIP ceased after February, 2020.
The coroner noted the ‘complexities of navigating the benefits system’, acknowledging the evidence suggested she was ‘frustrated to the point of desperation’. He concluded, however, that he couldn’t concur that ‘the state’ ought to have foreseen a risk to her life.
A DWP spokesperson offered condolences: “Our sincerest condolences are with the family and friends of Ms Hunt and Ms McBride in these tragic cases.” They assured, “Our aim is always to provide the best possible support to those who need it, ensuring they can access the appropriate services.”
Despite the recent fatalities and protests in Greater Manchester, the region is cited as an exemplar for best practice as the DWP gears up for extensive benefits changes. A Work and Pensions Committee report dated May 15 lauds Greater Manchester’s proactive engagement with disabled individuals on ‘challenging policies’ that impact them locally.
Chaired by MP Debbie Abrahams from Greater Manchester, the committee advised that replicating the region’s approach could enhance DWP outcomes, helping ‘prevent vulnerable claimants from experiencing harm’ amidst upcoming benefits reforms. “One example of a disabled people’s panel is in Greater Manchester Combined Authority. This was established in 2019 to ensure disabled people were better involved and represented in all aspects of funding and planning for the city region, including shaping, influencing, and challenging policies,” the report states.
“The panel includes 17 disabled people’s organisations, which are organisations that are majority or wholly led and run by disabled people. To ensure that it incorporates the expertise of people with lived experience of the benefit system, DWP should set up a reference group similar to the Greater Manchester Disabled People’s Panel to help shape safeguarding policy.”
However, for those protesting outside a Manchester hotel last week, these recommendations are already overdue. The activists argue that the DWP’s consultation in Manchester wasn’t ‘public’ at all – as those who couldn’t secure one of just ’20 tickets’ were denied entry to the event.
Kristie Hunt died aged 31 (Image: Family handout)
Protesters labelled it a ‘consulta-sham’, questioning ‘would you be happy if your income was going to be cut by a third, and only 20 of you were asked if you wanted that?’ The DWP also faced criticism from protesters for not opening up the most contentious planned benefit changes for discussion, including plans to abolish the Work Capability Assessment, freezing payments for Universal Credit’s health element, and the new stricter requirement to receive PIP’s daily living component.
Official figures reveal that 800,000 individuals are set to lose an average of £4,500 a year due to PIP reductions, while another 150,000 will be stripped of their carer’s allowance and nearly three million will suffer from alterations to Universal Credit. The government’s data indicates that the reforms may thrust 250,000 citizens into poverty. Nevertheless, ministers assert that there is a pressing need to save £5 billion by the decade’s end.
“Lots of us are already having to go to food banks, I’ve been referred to one,” Dennis Queen, a 52 year old protester, expressed to the M. E.N. I’m just surviving month to month, and I have three young adults living with me who I’m trying to feed as well. People are going to have their income cut by a third, I don’t know anybody who would find that manageable – yet the government is coming for the people who have the absolute least.”
The Department for Work and Pensions has yet to respond to requests for comment.
