I might be reading that wrongly but, to me one scenario is that lack of a gas supply could well have contributed to her death. Peabody should hang their heads in shame...
COVID lockdowns may play a part here, preventing home visits.
GP visit August 2019.
No rent paid since August 2019.
Maggots in another flat late summer 2019.
Foul stench September 2019.
Universal credit applied for by landlord in March 2020.
Gas cut off (by landlord) June 2020.
Police visit x 2 in October 2020.
February 2022 - body found.
Neighbours always have a part to play - even if the lady was a recluse it's pretty obvious if your neighbour is up and about - curtains opening and closing, noise moving about or listening to TV/radio, going to and from the shops or having deliveries and so on. This is a block of flats rather than a detached house. The only reason for complete silence would be the person having 'moved out' (living elsewhere, hospital, prison) or being dead. The report mentions that the neighbours did raise concerns but got nowhere.
The landlord has a part to play rather than simply accepting rent direct from the benefits system. Not sure how Peabody can apply on the tenants behalf without some kind of input from the tenant themselves. Or failing that some checks be undertaken by the council / DWP (whoever processes / investigates / pays 'housing benefit' nowadays) to see why the tenant isn't applying themselves.
The other utility companies presumably weren't being paid, unless that was bundled in with the rent. At the minimum there would be water and electricity.
The fact that the police visited and 'wrongly recorded' the status of the individual as having been seen is concerning, but that person retired from the force, so no worries, no need to improve processes or anything.
It is sad that we live in a society where people can fall through the gaps in such a way. I don't want to live in a society where I get daily visits from, or remote monitoring by, 'officialdom' to check on my status but there must be a middle ground.