Benefits and work for people with mental health problems

12 October 2004

Mental health workers need up-to-date information if service users are not to be deterred from returning to work by fears of losing their benefits, according to a new briefing paper published today by the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health (SCMH).

Mental health service users often want to return to work, but after six months of sickness absence, only half of disabled people on benefits ever succeed. Many are unsure or misinformed about how to make the journey into employment without feeling financially or emotionally insecure. It is important for mental health support workers in every field to have some knowledge of the benefits system - this briefing enables them to offer accurate guidance which will help service users make the move into employment with reduced risk to their wellbeing or their income.

The briefing identifies seven major disincentives to work which must be tackled by policy makers before returning to employment can become a clear, easy process for service users. Under the present system, people may experience no financial gain, or even a drop in income from working, they may be unable to get financial support for practical needs at work, and they may be forced to undergo an untimely medical review.

Patience Seebohm, from the SCMH Employment Programme, co-author of the paper with Judy Scott, an independent mental health consultant, said: "Mental health service users need up-to-date, clear information on the implications of returning to work. Service users may not trust Jobcentre Plus advisors; yet the support workers they do trust are not able to give them the up to date information they need. This briefing will help to bridge that gap."

Angela Greatley, Acting SCMH Chief Executive, said: "Mental health services cannot exist simply to treat the symptoms of mental illness; they must also promote the recovery of service users and help them return to a fulfilling and active life. Employment can be an essential part of that process. People should be rewarded rather than penalised for choosing to return to employment, and the benefits system should adapt to their needs. The return to employment must be prioritised as part of the mental health agenda."

The briefing is being launched at the first SCMH conference on employment, Leading by Example. The conference aims to inspire and offer practical help to those who wish to widen the NHS and social care workforce to include people who have used mental health services, and to make the NHS an exemplary employer of people with mental health problems.

Download the briefing paper (125 KB)