UK to strip benefits from criminals in psychiatric hospitals

New regulations are set to be laid before Parliament that will remove the right to benefits for serious offenders, including killers and those convicted of rape, who are detained in psychiatric hospitals. This change aims to close a loophole that allowed these individuals to receive more than £800 per month in Universal Credit, in addition to having their accommodation and care funded by taxpayers.

The campaign for this change was spearheaded by the families of victims of Valdo Calocane, who is serving a hospital order after killing three people in Nottingham in June 2023. While prisoners are barred from claiming state benefits, those undergoing treatment in psychiatric facilities have remained eligible.

"It was a disgrace that Calocane and offenders like him have ever received taxpayers' money," said Emma Webber, whose 19-year-old son, Barnaby, was one of Calocane's victims. "A hospital bed does not erase the egregious crimes committed, nor the destruction they have caused. Closing this loophole finally delivers some basic accountability that victims deserve."

Calocane pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and is currently eligible for benefits. Dr. Sanjoy Kumar, whose daughter Grace O'Malley Kumar was also killed by Calocane, stated, "Our campaign has always been about accountability and fairness. Offenders with treatment orders already cost the taxpayer an enormous amount. On release, every offender gets help with housing and benefits. On the principle of fairness alone, we do not see why taxpayers should fund benefits while they are incarcerated."

The proposed change is expected to affect approximately 2,500 offenders currently in hospital and an estimated 200 more annually. The government stated that the move aligns with its commitment to ensure fairness in the welfare system.

"We said we'd act to tackle this gross unfairness and we're delivering on that promise," said Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden. "For too long these violent criminals have had their living costs paid by the taxpayer twice over, while their victims and families paid the price. That ends today because victims and taxpayers deserve a system that is fair and supports only those who genuinely need it."

Leon Westcarr, whose niece Kennedi Westcarr-Sabaroche was killed by her partner Gogoa Lois Tape in April 2024, also welcomed the changes. Tape, who had been diagnosed with undiagnosed schizophrenia at the time of the attack, pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility and received a hospital order.

"The loss of my niece can never be undone, but I am encouraged that this long-standing injustice has been recognised and addressed," Mr. Westcarr said. His sister, Linda Westcarr, added, "For many victims' families, the question of whether serious offenders should continue to receive benefits raises understandable concerns about fairness, accountability and the values we uphold as a society. In my view, this is not simply a question of policy; it is also a matter of moral responsibility and ensuring that the impact on victims and their families is properly recognised."

Julian Hendy from the organization Hundred Families, which supports relatives of those killed by individuals with mental illness, has campaigned on this issue for nearly a decade. "This is a very welcome move and something we've been campaigning on for nearly a decade," Hendy said. "Paying thousands of pounds of state benefits to mentally disordered offenders on hospital orders who have committed the most serious of crimes cannot be justified. It is unjust and morally wrong."

These new regulations are expected to save tens of millions of pounds annually. The decision to remove benefits will not affect individuals detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 who have not committed an offense.