Each week we'll be posting items on a whole range of topics relating in some way to mental health. We hope to stimulate debate and get you thinking about mental health and Mind's work in a new way.
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Last Thursday's vicious attack on people experiencing mental health problems in the Daily Express has shocked me. In a piece about the new assessment process for benefits claimants, Leo McKinstry disputes whether people receiving welfare benefits for a mental health problem are legitimate.
I don't believe it represents the views of the majority, and regret that any national newspaper should publish inaccuracies of this nature, which are based on prejudice and ignorance.
His figures are incorrect - the Government's statistics relate only to new claimants, rather than all people receiving incapacity benefit.
Even more worrying, is his cynical view of mental health. He says,
"It is telling that more than1.1million incapacity claimants are not suffering from any physical disability at all, but get their handouts by moaning about problems like 'stress' and 'depression'."
Mr McKinstry equates mental distress with malingering and sponging off the state. That's not my experience. My work brings me into frequent contact with people with serious mental health problems who want to work, and who are frustrated by the judgement handed down on them by people like him, that they just need to pull themselves together and stop living the life of Riley.
Of course there are always some people who will play any system for what they can get out of it. But for the vast majority of people with mental health problems, the welfare system is not about free handouts, but about negotiating the support and time they need to get ready for work, and providing a financial safety net where work is not a viable option.
I would be pleased to provide Mr McKinstry with an opportunity to meet people with depression or stress who have lost their jobs and are unable to work, so that he could be better informed about this issue. I only hope he will be willing to take up my offer.
I do agree with him on one thing. Those statistics are telling indeed. What do they tell me? We are not doing enough to prevent mental distress from spiralling out of control, leading to debt, family breakdown, disability and loss of employment. We can do more to inspire hope of recovery.
The tried and tested ways of supporting people with mental health problems to return to work are not being used. And we need to challenge the pervasive stigma that denies people with mental health problems the same employment opportunities as anyone else.
Anna Bird, Policy and Campaigns Manager (Social Inclusion and Rights)
And so to Manchester for our third week of party conference work, this time with the Conservatives, the current favourites to form the new Government at the next general election.
This week is of course Get Moving week, and up and down the country hundreds of events are taking place to encourage people to improve their physical activity to improve their mental well being.
The Conservative conference was no exception. Mind pedometers were the must have item of Conference, and once we'd explained to some slightly bemused delegates how they worked, many were to be seen frequently checking them to find out how many steps they'd taken.
The theme of work and worklessness was a major one at this conference, and David Cameron set the ball rolling by announcing that all people currently on Incapacity Benefit would be reviewed and many would lose some of their benefits as a result.
Mind was quick to respond to this, reflecting the concerns voiced by many of this approach. So we were heartened to hear Theresa May qualifying their position on Channel 4 News and recognising the importance of providing the right level of support for people with mental health problems. This message was also reinforced by Tory Disabilities Minister Mark Harper.
There's no doubt that whichever party wins the election, change is coming, and the main question seems to be around the pace of change. We continue to call for a system which puts people with mental health problems at the heart of its approach and recognises their needs.
Paul Farmer, Chief Executive
2 CommentsUPDATE: Disability Living Allowance will not be scrapped!
Over 12,000 people have now signed the petition on the Number 10 website calling on the Government to protect Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Attendance Allowance (AA). The petition was launched by Mind in partnership with other disability charities and it's really great that so many people have signed up in just a month! It just goes to show how incredibly important DLA and AA are for people with mental health problems and other disabilities.
Now we really need to hammer home the message to this Government - and any future Government - that DLA and AA must never be scrapped as part of any reform of the social care system.
Please sign the petition now if you haven't already. You can also have your say on this issue, and the wider social care debate, by responding to the Government's consultation which runs until 13 November.
Please campaign with us and add your voice to the thousands already calling for the protection of these vital disability benefits.
Amy Whitelock, Policy and Campaigns Officer
7 CommentsUPDATE: Disability Living Allowance will not be scrapped!
Mind, in partnership with a number of disability charities, has launched a public petition to make clear to the Government the vital importance of Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance, and how strong feelings are on this issue.
Please sign the petition show your support!
The petition reads as follows:
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to recognise the vital support that Attendance Allowance (AA) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) provide to disabled people, and to ensure that these benefits are secured and are not removed as part of any future reform of the social care system in England.
UPDATE: Disability Living Allowance will not be scrapped!
This week we've been contacted by lots of people who are concerned about reports that Disability Living Allowance may be scrapped, as part of the Government's plans to reform the social care system. The DLA is a really important benefit for people with mental health problems, so it's not surprising that we have received many calls and emails.
When we last asked our supporters about this issue, people told us the DLA was essential to pay for social activities, transport and to help with basic living costs. Seventy-eight per cent of people said they would oppose any proposals to pool DLA money with the general social care budget, as DLA provides financial support for the extra costs of living with a disability, which are different from care costs. Mind has always argued there must be no change to DLA.
But it is not true that the Government has any concrete plans to get rid of DLA. They have published a new Green Paper, which sets our their vision for the future of care and support and which asks people for their views about whether Attendance Allowance - the equivalent of DLA for older people - should be pooled with social care money. But there is absolutely no mention of scrapping DLA.
The Government's proposals are still in the very early stages and far from becoming law. They are asking for people's views, and Mind will be responding to the consultation in the Autumn. If, at a later stage, there was any proposal to scrap DLA, Mind would strongly and publicly oppose this.
Everyone can have their say on how social care services should look in the future. You can respond online, on Facebook or Twitter, or go along to one of the 'Big Care Debate' events taking place around the country. And although there is no threat to DLA now, we do need to tell politicians of all parties how important it is for people with mental health problems. I will be writing to my MP about this and I hope everyone who has contacted Mind about DLA will too.
Amy Whitelock, Policy and Campaigns Officer, Mind
Update: See below for Amy's reply to readers' comments