I read your post and I want you to know that it's the same attitude here in the United States...I , me, mine. As long as they have their stuff, to hell with the next guy. This world is a house of cards, and it's going to fall. When it does fall, then people will turn to god. I'm afraid we haven't seen the worst.Take care of yourself, and know that I will pray for you. David---

There is a poster from 1930s Germany. It has a picture of a man in a white coat standing behind a man in a wheelchair. The slogan reads : "This defective person will cost YOU the taxpayer 60,000 DMs over his lifetime"

Do you realise that your comment just endorsed a state led eugenics programme? You supported the death of this woman in fear because it might save a few pounds. Do you realise you just answered all the people who ever said "How did it happen? How did the German people just look away?"

And no, Godwin's law does not apply when the analogy is accurate.

If there was just one fact in your comment I might bother replying to it. You have been brainwashed sir.

Willingly or unconsciously?

And what price would you put on human life? If disability benefits cost too much in your opinion what should we do with all those disabled people who cannot work and have no other means of income?

I think you are confusing incapacity benefits, now being replaced with employment and support allowance with disability living allowance which is to cover the extra costs of living with a disability. Numbers have risen because the population has increased, people with long term conditions are still receiving them and more people have been made aware of them, which is a good thing. More money is lost by administerative error than fraudulent claims. So what factual evidence do you have that too many people are receiving disability benefits? Would it surprise you to learn then that the Department of Work and Pensions own fraud figures show that 99.5% of claims are genuine? Look it up. You'd think that the government would want to be congratulated on so successfully keeping the fraud levels so low. Those that are 'found out' are made to pay the money back. It's a win situation.

This assessment process is a national scandal. There is little difference between the most vulnerable and plain old vulnerable people. Yet people like Karen, who you might think was one of 'the most vulnerable' the government promised to take care of, with chronic conditions that will never improve, are found fit for work or placed in the work related activity group meaning that after 12 months on the benefit they will be means tested, as Karen was. If your partner earns just £7,500 you will lose any entitlement to sickness benefit. This includes people battling with cancer, MS, parkinson's disease, heart failure, chronic mental illness and so many other conditions that would cause huge barriers to entering the workplace.

What people forget is that in vilifying the sick and disabled and believing this campaign of hate towards anyone claiming sickness benefits as is widespread across the tabloid media, that they are cutting their own safety net for when they might need it. People like to think that they are immune from illness, that they won't ever need to use the welfare state which their national insurance contributions have paid for, but they are not! The next victim of the work capability assessment could be you. You might be left wondering why if you haven't got better in a year your money has been stopped and you're asking your wife for pocket money.

Karen did not die in vain. I hope her story will be read and remembered and that it will open up a real informed debate about this so called welfare 'reform' bill. Frankly, there are hundreds of thousands of Karens battling with stress and fear of destitution on top of trying to manage their illnesses on a daily basis. So many with mental distress simply cannot tolerate the added stress and pressure of these continual assessments and appeals which is leading to suicidal despair. Such inhumane treatment of our sick and disabled should be to all of our shame.

You know little or nothing.

Your assertions are based on nothing but prejudice.

What costs too much are the tax breaks for the rich, the nuclear warheads we have no need for and the subsidies for huge corporations. And the excessive and dishonest expenses claims of our legislators.

A civilised society takes care of those unable to fend for themselves and a little wastage from false claiming is a reasonable price to pay for ensuring that those who need help get it.

Did you not even read that story? The woman just died after battling through unimagined stress and worry. Any system that causes that degree of stress and harm to someone with serious and chronic illness is inhumane. It's got sod all to do with left or right wing politics. It's about what kind of country we want to be.
A country that devises a system incapable of supporting people through serious illness, and that contributes to making the quality of their already difficult lives, even worse is a country that has lost its way.
I always wonder what kind of people are capable of making the kind of decisions that caused Karen such grief. Then I read posts like yours, with such an empathy bypass and smug self-righteousness and I see the attitude that Karen must have faced. I didn't know her, but I weep for her and the grief her husband must feel.

I salute the campaigning she and others such as Sue Marsh are doing, because its desperately needed.

RIP Karen. Gone but clearly never to be forgotten. I hope your pain is over now