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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