Death, social reform and the scrutiny of social welfare provision: the role of the contemporary inquest

Edward Kirton-Darling

doi:10.1080/09649069.2023.2281847

Death, social reform and the scrutiny of social welfare provision: the role of the contemporary inquest

Edward Kirton-Darling

University of Bristol Law School

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Suggesting there is an emerging and important focus on social welfare in inquests into death, this article argues that there is value for both social welfare and inquest scholarship in examination of links between the two. Emphasising the process of investigation, it aims to introduce the inquest to social welfare scholars, and proposes an agenda for research. The discussion examines a range of inquests in which questions of social welfare (understood broadly) were examined, including inquests into the death of Jackie Maguire in a care home (see R (Maguire) v. HM Senior Coroner for Blackpool & Fylde [2023] UKSC 20), the death of Jodey Whiting after her welfare benefits were stopped (in a case brought by her mother, Joy Dove, see Dove v. HM Assistant Coroner for Teesside and Hartlepool [2023] EWCA Civ 289), the death of Awaab Ishak due to mould in his housing association home, and the death of Ella Kissi-Debra which suggested a link between traffic, air pollution and asthma, as well as other cases, including the inquest into the death of Molly Russell which focused on the role of social media.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	363-386
Number of pages	24
Journal	Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law
Volume	45
Issue number	4
Early online date	26 Nov 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/09649069.2023.2281847
Publication status	Published - 26 Nov 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by the UK Prevention Research Partnership (award reference: MR/S037586/1), which is funded by the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorates, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council, Health and Social Care Research and Development Division (Welsh Government), Medical Research Council, National Institute for Health Research, Natural Environment Research Council, Public Health Agency (Northern Ireland), The Health Foundation and Wellcome. I would also like to thank Jesse Nicholls, and colleagues at the University of Bristol, particularly Sumayyah Malna and Sheelagh McGuiness, for comments on this work. Any mistakes are my own.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Keywords

social welfare
social reform
death
inquests
coroner
Article 2 European Convention on Human Rights
vulnerability
autonomy

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title = "Death, social reform and the scrutiny of social welfare provision: the role of the contemporary inquest",

abstract = "Suggesting there is an emerging and important focus on social welfare in inquests into death, this article argues that there is value for both social welfare and inquest scholarship in examination of links between the two. Emphasising the process of investigation, it aims to introduce the inquest to social welfare scholars, and proposes an agenda for research. The discussion examines a range of inquests in which questions of social welfare (understood broadly) were examined, including inquests into the death of Jackie Maguire in a care home (see R (Maguire) v. HM Senior Coroner for Blackpool & Fylde [2023] UKSC 20), the death of Jodey Whiting after her welfare benefits were stopped (in a case brought by her mother, Joy Dove, see Dove v. HM Assistant Coroner for Teesside and Hartlepool [2023] EWCA Civ 289), the death of Awaab Ishak due to mould in his housing association home, and the death of Ella Kissi-Debra which suggested a link between traffic, air pollution and asthma, as well as other cases, including the inquest into the death of Molly Russell which focused on the role of social media.",

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note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the UK Prevention Research Partnership (award reference: MR/S037586/1), which is funded by the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorates, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council, Health and Social Care Research and Development Division (Welsh Government), Medical Research Council, National Institute for Health Research, Natural Environment Research Council, Public Health Agency (Northern Ireland), The Health Foundation and Wellcome. I would also like to thank Jesse Nicholls, and colleagues at the University of Bristol, particularly Sumayyah Malna and Sheelagh McGuiness, for comments on this work. Any mistakes are my own. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.",

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Death, social reform and the scrutiny of social welfare provision: the role of the contemporary inquest

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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