Blair said he was concerned about the numbers of people who may be self-diagnosing with mental health conditions.
“Life has its ups and downs and everybody experiences those, and you’ve got to be careful of encouraging people to think they’ve got some sort of conditions other than simply confronting the challenges of life,” Blair said.
“We need a proper public conversation about this, because we really cannot afford to be spending the amount of money we’re spending on mental health and the ramp up of that just these last few years has been dramatic.”
It is estimated that mental illness costs England around £300bn a year, according to the Centre for Mental Health. This took into account the impact on the NHS, the economy due to people being out of work, and the human costs from the reduced quality of life.
Blair did not specifically refer to the welfare system, talking more broadly about the economic costs of poor mental health.
But there is a fascination with the rising numbers of people claiming disability benefits in the media, fuelled by the government promising to crack down on inactivity and push more people with health conditions into work.
It is an issue that the government will have to get to grips with if it wants to boost the economy. A record 2.8 million people are out of work due to long-term health conditions in the UK, and this means that increasing numbers are relying on disability benefits.
And it is right to say that more people are claiming disability benefits due to poor mental health. Nearly 37% of new claims for disability benefits are for mental health conditions, up from 28% before the pandemic.
But experts point out this isn’t down to more people self-diagnosing with mental health conditions – it’s a response to societal pressures experienced by the country in recent years.
As the Centre for Mental Health points out, “rising poverty and the cost of living crisis have fuelled the stark and evidenced increase in mental health difficulties”. And the rise in mental health struggles began before 2020 and has been a worrying trend over a decade or more, while the health services have faced cuts and people have had to cope with less support.
What’s the reality of claiming disability benefits?
In theory, people can self-diagnose with mental illness and go on to get disability benefits, but it’s a system which is notoriously difficult to navigate even if you have a diagnosis from a doctor.
Although people can get disability benefits without a medical diagnosis, extensive evidence is needed to prove how your condition impacts your everyday life.
People with mental and physical health conditions have described to the Big Issue the “trauma” they have faced in attempting to get support from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) – and being refused that support. Hundreds of people have written to us to share similar experiences.
Aidan, an amputee with multiple physical and mental health conditions, was refused disability benefits and was driven to feeling suicidal while undergoing the assessment and appeals process. Pauline had schizophrenia and other health conditions and was denied disability benefits until she was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
And a domestic violence victim who suffers with PTSD, depression and dissociative identity disorder felt forced to relive her abuse when she was assessed for disability benefits, showing just how difficult it can be to navigate the system even with a diagnosis.
People have to supply evidence of their health condition – such as from a support worker or a doctor. They have to fill out a detailed form about how their condition affects them in everyday life, which can be especially difficult for people with a disability or mental health condition.
Claimants then have to undergo an assessment by a health professional, where they might be asked to do things like carry out physical tasks.
Andy Bell, chief executive at Centre for Mental Health, said: “We know that the challenges of navigating the benefits system when you’re dealing with a mental health problem add extra strain and hinder recovery. Suggestions that it is easy to access benefits instead of working lack evidence, and perpetuate the age-old narrative of the undeserving poor.”
Just over half of claims for PIP are successful – meaning that every year more than one million people who attempt to get financial support miss out after going through the assessment process. Some will appeal their decision, and the success rate is higher for this stage, but many people give up after their first attempt.
Ayla Ozmen, director of policy and campaigns at anti-poverty charity, Z2K, said “The idea that people are claiming disability benefits on the back of self-diagnosed mental health problems is inaccurate and misleading.
“It also risks adding to the anxiety felt by many seriously ill and disabled people at a time when the government has set out plans to cut £3bn from the health and disability benefit system without explaining how these cuts will be made.”
Charities have consistently called on the government to show a more compassionate approach and support disabled people, who are more likely to face poverty. Around one in three people who rely on a food bank are disabled.
Bell added: “Low benefits levels and low pay are putting more people at risk of poverty, which drives mental distress and ill health. For those who are subject to benefit conditions and sanctions, the harm to health can be severe.
“The government can act now to tackle poverty – reform the benefits system to ensure people with mental health problems are treated more fairly, invest in earlier help for people’s mental health, commit to reducing waiting lists, and build better mental health services.”
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