Survey also found that one in five GPs had at least one disabled patient who had thought about suicide because of the test
Six per cent of doctors have experienced a disabled patient who has attempted – or committed – suicide as a result of “undergoing, or fear of undergoing” the Government’s fitness to work test.
Six per cent of doctors (surveyed) have experienced a disabled patient who has attempted – or committed – suicide as a result of “undergoing, or fear of undergoing” the Government’s fitness to work test.
A survey of over of 1,000 GPs across the UK by ICM also found that one in five had at least one disabled patient who had thought about suicide because of the test, which is aimed at assessing whether people claiming incapacity benefit are fit to work.
The survey, highlighted by Exaro, the investigative website, also found 14 per cent had patients who had self-harmed as a result of the test.
The charity, Rethink Mental Illness, which commissioned the poll, said it showed that the work-capability assessments were pushing some of the most unwell and vulnerable people in society “to the edge”.
Paul Jenkins, the charity’s chief executive said:
“Many people who have a severe mental illness such as schizophrenia or bi-polar disorder say that their condition has been exacerbated as a result of the stress caused by the test.”
After the Coalition took office in 2010, George Osborne, the chancellor, set out plans for £18 billion in welfare savings by 2014-15.
Ministers argue that the welfare bill can be cut because many people claiming incapacity benefit are well enough to work.
The previous Labour government introduced the test for incapacity benefit – but for new claimants only – in 2008.
In 2011 the Government ordered that everyone on the benefit, some two million people, should be assessed.
But the survey of GPs reveals disturbing evidence of the psychological damage that can be inflicted on those targeted.
The survey found eight out of ten GPs have patients who have developed mental-health problems since the tests were rolled out to everyone claiming incapacity benefit.
They included people who were already suffering from depression, but whose condition was made worse by the prospect of tests, and those with a physical handicap but no history of mental illness.
Claimants feared that their benefits would be cut, and that they would not be well enough to withstand employment.
If they found themselves out of work, they would still be eligible for the job seekers allowance. But this is worth less than employment and support allowance (ESA), which is replacing incapacity benefit.
For new claimants, ESA was introduced in 2008 and will eventually replace incapacity benefit following the re-assessment programme.
The survey cites the case of Ursula Sinclair, 42, from Gloucester. She suffers from depression. Just days after going through the assessment, she attempted to take her own life.
Sinclair said:
“I was devastated when I was initially told that I did not qualify for ESA because I know that I am not fit for work at all. I became extremely distressed.”
Tom Greatrex, a frontbench Labour MP who campaigns in Parliament on mental-health issues, told Exaro:
“There is clearly a problem when an assessment that is designed to help people back into work ends up having the opposite effect.
“Ministers need to reform the test urgently so that those who can work are supported to do so, but those not healthy enough to work are helped, not hounded.”
The Department for Work and Pensions said that it constantly reviewed the scheme to seek improvements.
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5 Responses
but why dont they jail the people walking around for this who put us in this hole where qwe pay for their mistakes nah the poor just got to give while those enjoy their chanpers and salmon on rye while we starve nah its tory looking after their paymasters and dont expect anything of help from labour either as they seem to be tory also jeff3
Our Doctors should be speaking out more than they are. People are being murdered, yes I said it Murdered and it’s premeditated murder. The politicians knew that there would be collateral damage, except that the collateral are living breathing sentient beings.
The United nations should be ashamed at not putting a stop to this barbaric murderous act and the people of this country are beyond shameful but are accomplices in the murder of innocent British people by doing nothing to stop it.
One day all of us will have to answer for our actions, what will we say?
Well I will Say I have the Intelligence Not to Vote ” Conservative ”
Murder by Poverty is Still Murder
The Politicians and the ” Royal ” Family with all their Wealth and Posh Residences
are the Scroungers
It Makes my Blood Boil with Rage the Silliness and Staticness of the None so Blind
as Those who will Not See
The UK is a Mess and Political Economic and Social Improvement is an
Absolute Necessity
I recently told a health professional ( stop laughing ) that given my deteriorating circumstances, given you had to be dead to get any benefits that it is simpler to kill myself. her response was ‘ you don’t mean that do you/’ My reply was yes!!
when /if i get the run around given the pain i go thru everyday i do not intend to take it quitely,….people are being pushed to far…somewhere along the line this going to go tits up big time and they going to be the ones responsible for it happening.