The UK government plans to stop convicted killers detained in hospitals from claiming state benefits. Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden will extend the current benefits ban to serious offenders held in hospital settings under court order, targeting those convicted of manslaughter and rape.
The move addresses a loophole in the system. While the state bans prisoners from state benefits, serious offenders in hospitals can currently receive over £800 a month in universal credit while the state covers their care costs.
McFadden will gather expert views on implementing the change. The Department for Work and Pensions aims to ensure that those detained for violent and sexual offences cannot access these payments.
Victims' Families Welcome Reform
Families affected by high-profile cases have responded positively to the announcement. Dr Sanjoy Kumar and Dr Sinead O'Malley, parents of Grace O'Malley-Kumar, expressed delight at the government's plans. Valdo Calocane killed their 19-year-old daughter in the Nottingham attacks in 2023.
Linda Westcarr, mother of Kennedi-Westcarr-Sabaroche, and Leon Westcarr, her uncle, welcomed the move as a long-overdue reform. Gogoa Lois Tape strangled the 25-year-old when he was 29.
Cases Highlighting the Issue
Valdo Calocane, a paranoid schizophrenic, killed three people in Nottingham in 2023. He attacked Grace O'Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber, both 19, before killing school caretaker Ian Coates, 65. Calocane received an indefinite hospital order after admitting manslaughter by diminished responsibility.
Similarly, Gogoa Lois Tape received an indefinite hospital order for strangling Kennedi-Westcarr-Sabaroche. Tape also admitted manslaughter by diminished responsibility. Both perpetrators remain in hospital settings under court order.
The consultation will determine how the extended ban applies to offenders detained in hospitals for serious violent and sexual crimes.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
