News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

An elderly woman who was wrongly stripped of her pension had just £5 to her name when she jumped to her death.

Joy Worrall was left reliant on her savings when the Department for Work and Pensions froze her payments.

The 81-year-old plunged off a quarry one mile from her home in the Welsh village of Rhes-y-Cae, Flintshire, in November last year, North Wales Live reports.

Mrs Worrall had spent her £5,000 savings and with just £5 remaining in her bank account, she took her own life.

The pensioner had received an inheritance in 2014, and told the DWP about it.

But in 2017, her pension situation was "re-assessed" and instead of only freezing the pension credits Mrs Worrall received, the DWP froze her ordinary state pension.

She was left with no income whatsoever.

An inquest into her death heard Mrs Worrall described as "too proud" to tell her family about her financial problems.

The inquiry heard she had previously said she would throw herself off a quarry if she ended up with any major health or financial worries.

On November 19 last year, her son Ben Worrall spoke to her for the last time.

Two days later he went to her cottage after someone contacted him asking him where his mother was.

When he got to the property, he could not find her or her car.

(Image: North Wales Live)

Mr Worrall, who normally spoke to his mother three or four times a week, raised the alarm.

A search was launched and on November 22 her body was discovered at the bottom of a 40-foot face of the Rhes-y-Cae quarry.

A statement by Mr Worrall, read to the inquest, said her death was a shock and there were so many unanswered questions.

It was only when he started to investigate his mother's affairs that the true picture of what had happened in the run up to her death began to emerge.

(Image: North Wales Live)

The inquest was read a letter from Suzanne Mitchelson, from the DWP, who said that Mrs Worrall's two pension payments should have been "de-combined".

Ms Mitchelson said: "I am sorry that due to an administrative error this did not happen."

Mrs Worrall's cause of death was given as multiple major traumatic injuries due to a fall from height.

Coroner John Gittins recorded a verdict of suicide.

Speaking after the hearing, Mr Worrall said the DWP had been "guilty of a failure of duty of care".

He added: "It's a disgrace how this can happen in modern society and what concerns me is that this could happen to someone else."

Delyn MP David Hanson is understood to have written to the DWP demanding that procedures have been changed to make sure the same tragedy cannot happen again.

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said: "Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Mrs Worrall. We apologise unreservedly to Mrs Worrall’s family for the error that led to her pension payments being stopped and pledge to learn the lessons."

If you need to speak to someone, Samaritans are available 24/7 by calling 116 123