Wednesday 17 April 2013

Benefits withdrawal led to man’s suicide

A FORMER farm labourer shot himself after learning that his benefits were being stopped, an inquest heard. 


 Nicholas Peter Barker, of Bridge Farm Close, Helmsley, was found dead in his front garden with a shotgun at his feet by his neighbour on December 10 last year.

Mrs Barker said he was due to attend an appeal hearing on December 18 against a decision to stop his benefits. “He was always a happy man and never spoke about private matters in public, so I knew this was worrying him as he had talked about it in front of other people,” she said.

A statement from Mr Barker’s doctor said they had spoken on the phone on December 4 and he had been upset because his benefits were being stopped after an annual assessment as he did not have the required number of points to qualify.

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