Policywatch: Welfare Reform - Centre for Mental Health

Areas of work:
Individual Placement and Support (IPS) +
Employment for offenders
Working with employers +
Commissioning +
Welfare reform
Primary care

Policy Watch - Welfare Reform

People with mental health problems will be unfairly affected by proposed changes to the DLA, report finds 09/01/2012 A report entirely written, researched, funded, and supported by sick and disabled people, their friends and carers Responsible Reform: A Report on the proposed changes to Disability Living Allowance has concluded that Government’s response to the DLA consultation presented a highly misleading view of the responses it received. It also finds that due to the fluctuating nature of mental illness, people who suffer from a mental health problem will be unfairly affected by the introduction of the Personal independence Payment. Read the Centre's original joint response to the consultation here
Open letter to the Guardian from the Centre and other leading Mental Health experts 01/06/2011 Open letter to Guardian suggesting changes to the welfare system are having 'devastating' impact, driving some to suicide attempts. The letters calls for a shift towards a more sympathetic and supportive system which takes into account the additional challenges people with mental health problems may face. You can read the letter here.
DWP framework for the new Work Programme 02/12/2010 The DWP has published a list of preferred private and voluntary sector providers of the new Work Programme, which will replace a range of existing employment programmes. We have produced a briefing about providing employment services to people with mental health problems.
Work Capability Assessment independent review 23/11/2010 The first review of the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) has been carried out by Professor Malcolm Harrington. The review and the Government’s response to it are available here. Professor Harrington reviewed the fairness and effectiveness of the WCA. He set out a substantial series of recommendations to the Government based on the evidence he collected as part of the review. The main recommendations focus on: empowering and investing in Jobcentre Plus Decision Makers Jobcentre Plus taking control of the process and supporting individuals through it Atos employing “champions” at each Medical Examination Centre establishing a programme of work for the second review.

People with mental health problems will be unfairly affected by proposed changes to the DLA, report finds

09/01/2012

A report entirely written, researched, funded, and supported by sick and disabled people, their friends and carers Responsible Reform: A Report on the proposed changes to Disability Living Allowance has concluded that Government’s response to the DLA consultation presented a highly misleading view of the responses it received. It also finds that due to the fluctuating nature of mental illness, people who suffer from a mental health problem will be unfairly affected by the introduction of the Personal independence Payment.

Read the Centre's original joint response to the consultation here

Open letter to the Guardian from the Centre and other leading Mental Health experts

01/06/2011

Open letter to Guardian suggesting changes to the welfare system are having 'devastating' impact, driving some to suicide attempts. The letters calls for a shift towards a more sympathetic and supportive system which takes into account the additional challenges people with mental health problems may face. You can read the letter here.

DWP framework for the new Work Programme

02/12/2010

The DWP has published a list of preferred private and voluntary sector providers of the new Work Programme, which will replace a range of existing employment programmes.

We have produced a briefing about providing employment services to people with mental health problems.

Work Capability Assessment independent review

23/11/2010

The first review of the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) has been carried out by Professor Malcolm Harrington. The review and the Government’s response to it are available here.

Professor Harrington reviewed the fairness and effectiveness of the WCA. He set out a substantial series of recommendations to the Government based on the evidence he collected as part of the review. The main recommendations focus on:

empowering and investing in Jobcentre Plus Decision Makers
Jobcentre Plus taking control of the process and supporting individuals through it
Atos employing “champions” at each Medical Examination Centre
establishing a programme of work for the second review.

Centre for Mental Health

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