More than 1,000 sick and disabled benefit claimants died while waiting for vital payments in the past year, with 900,000 applicants facing a four-month wait for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) benefits, resulting in 1,300 deaths before a final decision was made. The planned £5bn welfare bill cuts by Chancellor Rachel Reeves have sparked backlash, with Labour MPs warning of potential delays in the system that could deny crucial support to those in need of assistance. The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union called the number of claimants dying before receiving payments “an absolute scandal”, while campaigners believe the figures only scratch the surface of the crisis in the welfare system.
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Man, 32, charged with murder of 16-year-old boy after Stockwell shooting
A 32-year-old man named Omar Prempeh has been charged with the murder of 16-year-old Lathaniel Burrell, who was shot dead in Stockwell. The incident took place in Paradise Road in south London, where officers responded to reports of a shooting at 3:21pm on Tuesday. Prempeh, who was arrested in Croydon, is set to appear at Bromley Magistrates’ Court on Monday, while Lathaniel’s family receives support from specialist officers as the investigation continues. Full Article
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