Don Lane, a 53-year-old courier for DPD from Christchurch, Dorset, died from diabetes after being fined £150 for attending a medical appointment. His widow, Ruth Lane, said he faced constant pressure to cover his delivery round or incur daily penalties, leading him to cancel specialist appointments.
Lane, who had worked for DPD for 19 years, collapsed twice before his death, including once into a diabetic coma while driving. Despite his condition, the company fined him in July 2017 for seeing a specialist about diabetes-related eye damage. He died on 4 January at Royal Bournemouth Hospital.
DPD, which treats couriers as self-employed franchisees without sick or holiday pay, made over £100m profit in 2016. The company's penalty system has been condemned by Frank Field, chair of the Commons work and pensions committee, as 'appalling'. Trade unions are calling for government action on bogus self-employment.
Ruth Lane stated: 'He was putting the company before his own health. DPD had a duty of care to make sure he got to those appointments, but they failed.' A colleague added that DPD 'push drivers till they break'. DPD expressed regret over the fine, citing 'confusion' at the time.
