Claimants with mental illness are twice as likely to lose their benefits as non-psychiatric claimants

Research has shown that people with mental illness are 2.4 times more likely than providers with non-psychiatric conditions to lose their existing benefits after an badessment of their eligibility for the Personal Independence Payment (PPE).

Posted in British Journal of Psychiatry Open, the York University study badyzed government data on applicants who leave a PIP disability allowance (DLA) entitlement between April 2013 and October 2016.

Financial difficulty

All DLA applicants aged 16 to 65 are required to re-apply as part of the gradual transition to PEP.

The potential loss of income rises to £ 141.10 per week for people with the most serious mental health problems. The authors of the study suggest that such a reduction in financial resources could exacerbate existing mental health problems, limit the chances of recovery and expose people to three times more likely to incur debt than the rest of the population. additional financial resources.

The study also found that claimants with neurological disorders, musculoskeletal disorders and diabetes were more likely to have their claim rejected.

Alcohol and psychoactive substance abuse claims were found to be 1.97 times more likely to be rejected, 3.38 times more than ADHD applicants.

The lead author of the study, Katie Pybus, of the Department of Health Sciences, said: "As far as we know, this is the first academic study to compare the results of the study. badessment of eligibility for personal independence indemnity by state of health of current applicants who are benefiting from an invalidity allowance.

"Our intention is not to comment on the acceptability of the eligibility badessment results for applicants with other health conditions included in the badysis, but rather to highlight areas of potential inequality that may need to be addressed to ensure that the benefit system values ​​mental health equally to physical health. "

The conclusions of this debate are expected before a debate in the House of Commons on January 22, during which members will debate mental health and the process of badessing benefits.

The reasons for the discrepancy identified by the study are unclear, but the findings corroborate the concerns raised in a report of the Committee on Work and Pensions, according to which PIP evaluators lacked knowledge about mental health and used informal observations to judge the claimants. mental health status.

As of November 2017, only 16.6% of the evaluators had a clinical history in mental health.

Professor Kate Pickett of the Department of Health Sciences, co-author of the article, said, "Our study provides strong evidence that the benefit system discriminates against people with mental illness. take this into account and take steps to ensure that mental illnesses are treated fairly. "

Commenting on the research, Professor Wendy Burn, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: "We can provide the best treatment in the world to our patients, but if they can not afford the cost of accommodation, heating or food, they will be ineffective.

"It's critical that clinicians know how to help their patients seek the benefits to which they are entitled."

Provided by
University of York