HEXHAM'S MP Guy Opperman has apologised "unreservedly" on behalf of the Government after a woman took her own life following an error with her pension.
Joy Worrall (82) from Rhes-y-Cae, Flintshire, was found dead in a quarry near her home in November last year.
Her death came after her pension payments and winter fuel allowance were stopped for 15 months due to what work and pensions minister Mr Opperman called a "clerical error".
An inquest into her death heard that Mrs Worrall told the Department of Work and Pensions in 2014 that she had received an inheritance, but was told it would not affect her pension.
In July 2017, action was taken to suspend her pension credit, but rather than her state pension continuing while the credits were reviewed, all payments - including her winter fuel allowance - were stopped, leaving her with no income.
The inquest heard that she had just £5 in her account when she died, having been forced to spend £5,000 in savings. John Gittins, coroner for North Wales East and Central, recorded a conclusion of suicide.
On Monday, Mr Opperman told the House of Commons that action had been taken to ensure any such occurrence would not happen again.
He said: "The Government apologises unreservedly for the clerical error.
"It was a clerical error that led to Mrs Worrall's pension payment being stopped."
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