We need change and compassion for people living with mental illness - not more division
25/06/2025
As the discussion about the government's proposed cuts to Personal Independence Payments (PIP) ramps up, Davinder Kaur, Head of Campaigns at Rethink Mental Illness, writes about the damage that misinformation is having.
Last week, an article in the London Standard by Melanie McDonagh showed what we, as campaigners, are up against when it comes to improving the lives of people severely affected by mental illness.
Having made significant progress in the last decade to challenge discrimination, this article - red in tooth and claw - reflects a concerning resurgence of stigma towards people living with invisible disabilities, including mental illness, by some sections of the media.
What followed the antagonising title: We all know why Britain's benefit numbers keep rising: too many mental health claims, were a series of unfounded claims and assumptions about people experiencing mental health problems, many of whom are currently living with the fear that their financial support will be taken away as a result of the government’s welfare reforms.
These reforms could see over 330,000 people severely affected by mental illness losing their Personal Independence Payments. PIP is a vital disability benefit that helps people severely affected by mental illness cover the extra costs of living with a long-term condition.
In the article, not only does Melanie McDonagh refer to mental illness as a “usefully elastic concept” but she also writes that those in receipt of social security for mental health related reasons are “either lying or have persuaded themselves that they can’t quite cope with the struggle for existence”.
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Accessing a benefit like PIP is far from easy... The process is riddled with challenges including delays in obtaining documentation and the huge pressure to self-advocate at a time when someone is least able to do so.
Such claims are not only dismissive and dangerous, but simply untrue. Accessing a benefit like PIP is far from easy. The system is notoriously difficult to navigate with a demanding assessment process that is both gruelling and overwhelming. Individuals are often required to gather and submit supporting evidence for their assessments when they are unwell or lack adequate support.
The process is riddled with challenges including delays in obtaining documentation and the huge pressure to self-advocate at a time when someone is least able to do so. The inadequate assessment process is evident in the fact that 66% of rejected PIP claims are overturned in favour of the claimant when appealed.
In looking to explain why more people living with mental illness are seeking support, clickbait headlines will refer to fraud, laziness or entitlement. Less scrutiny is given to the growing mental health crisis in the UK, driven by a complex combination of rising poverty and inequality, lack of access to early intervention and support, social isolation and the long tail of the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. Even less attention still is given to the perspective of people living with mental illness that we often hear: that people would like to work if they had the right support.
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Melanie McDonagh’s views walk a troubling line between the absurd and the deeply mean-spirited.
The World Health Organization has consistently shown that conditions like depression and anxiety are among the top causes of lost productivity and disability worldwide. An increase in people claiming financial support does not mean they’re being dishonest about their symptoms—it means we are finally starting to recognise how widespread and debilitating mental illness can be, and the support needed to make a meaningful difference.
Melanie McDonagh’s views walk a troubling line between the absurd and the deeply mean-spirited. Proposals like “excluding non-physical disabilities from sickness benefit eligibility, except in the most extreme, clinically assessed cases” do nothing but fuel division and stigma. What’s needed instead is compassion and a serious commitment to supporting people through the very real challenges they face.
On 1 July, MPs are due to vote on cuts to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) which will make it harder for people to qualify for PIP. Additionally, 150,000 carers are at risk of losing Carer's Allowance. But what we need isn’t the removal of vital financial support, it’s timely access to the right help before people become extremely unwell and reach crisis point.
There’s no doubt that this government have inherited a challenging economic situation and have difficult decisions to make but restricting support to those who most need it is not the answer. That’s why we are calling on our supporters to ask their MPs to vote against these harmful cuts.
At Rethink Mental Illness, we will not stay silent in the face of harmful claims about people living with mental illness, such as those published in the London Standard last week. We will continue to campaign for a social security system that treats people with the dignity and compassion they deserve. This article reinforces that we cannot let these irresponsible comments go unchallenged.