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Making benefits fairer - welfare reform


Take action now - join our campaign to reform the medical assessment for benefit claims

I feel like DWP want to send me back to a workplace where I don't have the skills necessary for coping. Whenever I deal with a government agency I feel pretty bad afterwards – it is like nobody takes  me seriously and that because I don't  have a physical disability, I am somehow a malingerer or scrounger. This is not the case.

Campaign for understanding, fairness and support

Around half of all people currently claiming benefits because of illness have mental health problems.

We believe:

  • there should be improved job opportunities for people experiencing mental health issues
  • they should have personalised and professional support from staff trained in mental health issues to help them move back to work
  • no one should feel compelled to take positions which could compromise their mental health and wellbeing.

What we are fighting for

We want:

  • training and competency for employment advisers: Employment advisers should offer real and useful assistance to people with mental health problems.
  • consistency, regulation and monitoring regarding implementation of the Government's welfare to work agenda – advisers and staff should not have disproportionate and unchecked power
  • the right support for people experiencing mental health issues to take control of the services that support them.

Mind welcomes the Government's plans to introduce personal budgets for employment support. Personal budgets promote independent living – mental health service users can decide what they want (in consultation with their care workers), and purchase services themselves. However, we believe the Government needs to introduce a centralised approach to the personalisation of services, by allowing people a single point of access or single budget for health, social care and employment support.

Welfare Reform Act 2009

In January 2009, the Government introduced a new Welfare Reform Bill, which became an Act of Parliament in November 2009. Read Mind's full briefing on the proposals contained in the Bill, what Mind campaigned for and the final outcomes.

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