Disclaimer: This article contains trigger words related to depression, anxiety, and self-harm, which some readers may find distressing.
Why Mental Health Deteriorates Under Scrutiny
When vulnerable people apply for benefits like Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or face sanctions under Universal Credit, they are subjected to rigorous scrutiny. This process can feel invasive and degrading, as claimants often have to repeatedly prove their illnesses or disabilities, even when their conditions are well-documented and lifelong.
Imagine having to justify why you deserve basic support while battling a chronic illness or mental health condition. It’s a system that leaves many feeling judged, disbelieved, and humiliated.
The uncertainty and fear of losing essential income can be overwhelming. For someone already struggling to make ends meet, the threat of sanctions—which can stop or reduce payments—can plunge them into a crisis. When people are forced into poverty, their mental health inevitably suffers. Anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts are common outcomes for those caught in this vicious cycle.
Living in Poverty and Mental Health
Poverty isn’t just about having less money; it’s about living without security, dignity, or hope. When a person’s income is stopped or reduced, they face impossible choices: pay for food, heating, or rent? For many, poverty strips away any sense of control over their lives, a major factor in deteriorating mental health.
Instead of helping people, the current benefits system often exacerbates their struggles. The lack of compassion and understanding in assessing claimants’ needs makes them feel more like statistics than human beings. Lawmakers must recognize this and take action to prevent such harm.
Are Laws Being Broken?
Under UK law, there are protections meant to safeguard vulnerable individuals. These include:
- Equality Act 2010 – This law protects individuals from discrimination based on disability. When benefit assessments fail to accommodate claimants’ needs or disregard medical evidence, they may breach this law.
- Human Rights Act 1998 – Article 3 prohibits inhuman or degrading treatment. Forcing someone to live in destitution, or subjecting them to humiliating assessments, could violate this right.
- Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987 – These regulations outline how benefits should be administered fairly and reasonably. Arbitrary sanctions or delays in payments might breach these guidelines.
- Mental Health Act 1983 – Public bodies, including the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), have a duty to avoid actions that worsen a person’s mental health.
What Needs to Change?
- Stop Sanctions That Harm Vulnerable People: Sanctions should not be applied to those who are clearly unfit to work or in desperate need of support.
- Simplify Assessments: Assessments for benefits like PIP need to be more straightforward, compassionate, and respectful of medical evidence. No one should feel they have to fight for their dignity.
- Provide Immediate Support: When issues arise, claimants should have access to emergency financial help to prevent destitution.
- Focus on Poverty Reduction: Lawmakers must understand that poverty is a public health crisis. Policies that force people into poverty not only violate human rights but also create long-term societal costs.
A Call to Lawmakers
The ongoing inquiry into safeguarding vulnerable claimants is an opportunity for lawmakers to address these systemic issues. They must prioritize creating a benefits system that supports, rather than harms, those in need. This means ending punitive measures like sanctions, ensuring fair assessments, and upholding the laws designed to protect vulnerable individuals.
Poverty and mental health are deeply connected, and policies that trap people in poverty are not just cruel—they’re counterproductive. It’s time for a system that treats claimants with the dignity and respect they deserve.
Conclusion
No amount of talking or investigations will bring back the people who felt they had no way out. This system has not only claimed lives but also created a ripple effect of grief for families who mourn their loved ones every day. A toxic system that disregards the needs of vulnerable people perpetuates harm and shows a lack of compassion. There are alternative ways to address the fiscal black hole without jeopardizing people’s health and well-being. I wrote an article about how to boost the economy, which you can read [here]. It is about time to leave vulnerable and disabled people alone, as they have already suffered enough.
“MENTAL HEALTH DETERIOTION DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE”!
Further Reading:
- Safeguarding vulnerable claimants – Committees – UK Parliament
- DWP’s chief medical adviser dismisses importance of her own department’s reviews into benefit deaths – Disability News Service
- https://disabledentrepreneur.uk/?s=universal+credit (109 articles)
- https://disabledentrepreneur.uk/?s=pip (182 articles)
- https://disabledentrepreneur.uk/?s=human+rights (143 articles)
- https://disabledentrepreneur.uk/ideas-to-boosting-the-uk-economy/
- https://disabledentrepreneur.uk/when-universal-credit-makes-you-feel-worthless/
Andrew Jones is a seasoned journalist renowned for his expertise in current affairs, politics, economics and health reporting. With a career spanning over two decades, he has established himself as a trusted voice in the field, providing insightful analysis and thought-provoking commentary on some of the most pressing issues of our time.