Mind responds to DWP announcement that convicted criminals detained in hospitals set to lose benefits
The Department for Work and Pensions has announced that people who have been convicted of serious offences and subsequently detained in hospitals under court order would lose benefit payments under new plans.
The Work and Pensions Secretary is set to gather views from experts on removing Universal Credit from those convicted of serious offences, who are held in a hospital setting, considering the complexity and sensitivity of this issue.
The decision to remove benefits from serious offenders would not affect people who have been sectioned, who have not committed any offence. Other benefits, such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP) are not in scope for DWP reforms as they tend to be time limited, with PIP stopping after 4 weeks of hospitalisation.
Responding to the announcement, Jemima Olchawski, Director of Social Impact at Mind, said:
"Acts of violence committed by people with mental health problems are devastating for victims and their families. These cases are thankfully rare and almost always involve systemic failure. In these tragic cases, courts sometimes decide hospital treatment rather than prison is the right and just response. That decision must mean access to high quality care and for that to be effective, it must include people being able to afford basic things like clothes or phone credit to contact family. Removing access to benefits for those who are most unwell undermines court decisions and penalises people for their illness. People need support to recover, understand the harm they’ve caused, and reintegrate into their communities.
"We are calling on the UK Government to make sure its approach is fair and rooted in an understanding of the complexity of mental illness. The priority must be giving people the right support and treatment to recover and prevent future tragedies."
