Breaking down the wall

We are campaigning to break down the wall of stigma and discrimination faced by people affected by severe mental illness, brick by brick. Read the new Breaking Down the Wall campaign report.

Areas of discrimination and stigma we will be challenging include:

Breaking down the wall campaign image

  • Employment: Employers shouldn’t be allowed to ask people if they have a mental illness until after they’ve met candidates and offered someone a job. That’s the system in America – we want to bring it here. We're also developing a guide for employers on reasonable adjustments for mental illness in the workplace.
  • Jury Service: It’s unfair that people who are using mental health services can’t sit on a jury. We want people like Stephen Fry and Clare Allan and all people with mental illness to be treated as equal citizens
  • Politics and Voting: By empowering people affected by severe mental illness to understand the political process and register to vote
  • Benefits: People who are ill should get a decent income and be able to take small steps towards work without losing all benefits. Help us make that a reality.

Rethink is working to change people's attitudes to severe mental illness through an anti-stigma programme reaching millions of people Time to Change

What can I do?

  • The Equality Bill has been published. It fails to protect people with mental illness from discrimination. Email your MP now and make the Bill work. 
  • Have you applied  for Employment and Support Allowance? Tell us your experiences.
  • Have you had adjustments made in the workplace due to mental illness? Tell us what they were and whether they made a difference!

Join the movement

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Sign up to Campaign by email!  You can help to challenge the discrimination faced by people affected by mental illness. Our campaigners make a real difference, by high-lighting mental health issues to decision-makers across England and Northern Ireland.