Up to 360,000 could lose DWP benefits under new rules

People suffering from depression or anxiety could lose access to sickness benefits as part of the Government’s major welfare reforms, according to reports. Ministers will propose stopping regular payments for a range of mental health problems and instead argue for “meaningful support” such as talking therapy and social care packages, The Times reported.

Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride is expected to publish a green paper on Monday centring on personal independence payments (PIP) – the main disability benefit. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced major changes to the welfare system earlier this month, when he said “people with less severe mental health conditions should be expected to engage with the world of work”.

Speaking to The Times, Mr Stride said the system should not be paying people to deal with the “ordinary difficulties of life” and suggested that many voters “deep down” agreed with him. Describing the reforms as “probably the most fundamental reforms in a generation”, he said: “There are those that have perhaps milder mental health conditions, or where perhaps there has been too great a move towards labelling certain behaviours as having certain [medical] conditions attached to them, where actually work is the answer or part of the answer.

“What we’ve got to avoid is being in a situation where we too readily say, ‘Well, actually, we need you to be on benefits’.” Mr Stride said a “whole plethora of things”, such as talking therapies, social care packages and respite care, could be used as alternatives to benefit payments.

He added the main reason for the changes was to provide better help and not cut costs, but he acknowledged the cost “has to be one of the considerations”.

James Taylor, the executive director of strategy at disability equity charity Scope called to end the “reckless assault” on disabled people and to fix the “real underlying issues”. It’s hard to have any faith that this consultation is about anything other than cutting the benefits bill, no matter the impact,” Mr Taylor said.

“Life costs a lot more for disabled people, including people with mental health conditions. Threatening to take away the low amount of income PIP provides won’t solve the country’s problems. The government needs to end this reckless assault on disabled people and focus on how to fix the real underlying issues.”

There are thought to be around 360,000 people claiming PIP for anxiety and depression, The Times reported.