Welfare reform and suicide

Since the start of Welfare reform there have been many outspoken people both for and against and now it seems the results of the changes are becoming apparent. The scrap WCA campaign is gathering force, steam and hopefully a hearing.

In the early days it was called scaremongering, then it was exaggeration and in many peoples minds I thnk it still is however with so many people, charities, GP’s, the Lord’s and MP’s getting behind the scrap WCA campaign I am beginning to have new hope that people are listening and understanding the ramifications of what the Government is doing. (other interested bloggers and petitions http://diaryofabenefitscrounger.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/esa-assessments-pushing-mentally-ill-to.html, http://thebrokenofbritain.blogspot.co.uk/ http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/20968

There are many who seek to exonerate, to say it’s necessary, that spending needs to be cut and this is the place to cut it however they are becoming fewer in number. It was heartening to hear the opinions of MP’s in the Commons and also of some of the Lords expressing not only their concern but them questioning the motivations of the reform and then their belief that it is not right, however it saddens me that they don’t seem to be having any affect.

It seems that it takes a growing trend in self harm and suicide to get peoples attention http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/patrick-butler-cuts-blog/2011/nov/16/do-public-spending-cuts-kill, and many, including diary of a benefit scrounger, foresaw this coming and were ignored, not only that but so were the charities and many other official bodies and it makes me wonder whether people in general have any idea what being vulnerable may look and sound like. I’ve said in the past that I don’t think people understand what it is to be disabled and now I’m questioning whether they know what it is to be vulnerable.

I saw this article in the Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/patrick-butler-cuts-blog/2011/nov/16/do-public-spending-cuts-kill and then read some of the comments below. It struck me that many people were saying that the Mullins had choices and were explaining away the impact of benefit being withdrawn/ or withheld had on them and to a point I agreed. This couple did have choices however they did not feel that they had a choice. They felt that an end to their lives was their best option. And I think that sums it up for me, they felt they had no choice and they ended their lives.

Whether they had any viable options or not is irrelevant to the fact that the push that came from having to live with having been denied benefits ended their lives and it seems in many cases that this is the straw that broke the camels back. Now if you think that’s okay to push people that far that they feel they have no options but to die and think it’s fair because they actually did have options then good luck to you but I don’t.

There are so many flaws in the health service and the benefit system, particularly when it comes to assessment and treatment of mental health issues, that to put in place something so stringent and uncompromising is ridiculous and could only have ended in this manor. Not only that but many people with mental health issues have suffered without having a voice for so long that to be treated in the same way again would inevitably bring many more who are on the road to recovery to their knees too.

Whether you can attribute the reason for someone’s suicide to the stress of welfare reform or not the fact that it has resulted in people saying you know what it’s just too hard to live and have killed themselves seems to me wholly and morally wrong and you should feel ashamed of yourselves for trying to justify it. The fact is that the DWP are so concerned about the effect it’s having that they are issuing memos to the effect (http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/interactive/2012/jun/20/dwp-memo-mental-health-risks ) and staff are going on strike for better conditions and training to deal with the changes, (http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/video/2012/jun/21/jobcentre-union-vulnerable-claimants ) and regardless of whether there are any statistics to back up these claims at present, these people are on the front line, dealing with the claimants and the aftermath of the changes and they are being very careful to stress the importance of dealing with people with empathy getting people the right training and support. In terms of stress levels the WC assessment is having detrimental effects on those with physical and mental illness alike and reports such as this one in the Mirror are becoming more frequent (http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/investigations/2012/04/32-die-a-week-after-failing-in.html 32 die a week after failing test for new incapacity benefit) However please note that this headline is inflammatory and no official statistics are held about what happens to people after they have left ESA (see here for explanation http://fullfact.org/articles/fit_for_work_ESA_deaths_Mail-14399 )

                                                                                              

People with disabilities are vulnerable and I feel that in part their ability to be able to see alternatives to what they feel is about to happen to them is often very limited. This is not to say that the suggestions that people have come up with are workable as often there are hidden emotional problems for those with mental health issues that have made them untenable. For instance people often believe that they were never listened to, abandoned or abused but their families and have been desperately trying to escape from them. As such they are often the people who have most contributed to their illness and relying on them will have a detrimental effect on their recovery. It’s preposterous to expect in these cases where neglect and emotional abuse have occurred for the claimants to ask for help from them, deal with them on a daily basis for care or rely on them.

It seems that the government has some understanding of the need for people to be removed from abusive environments, such as removal children but sadly I feel they do not have a good idea of what constitutes abuse. For instance if you look at the proposed changes to housing benefit for under 25’s (http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/jun/24/housing-benefit-under-25s-welfare?newsfeed=true ) the only exemption

He will make exemptions for those that have been victims of domestic violence

Sadly there are many other forms of abuse that can have a detrimental effect on a persons mental health and knock effects on their ability to work and yet they will in all likelihood be forced to live at home for longer if this goes through and at what cost.