Rethink Mental Illness: “Members and supporters say they have thought about ending their own lives.”
Commenting on the overturning of a set of amendments in the Commons this afternoon relating to the time limit for Employment and Support Allowance, Rethink Mental Illness CEO Paul Jenkins said:
"By overturning this amendment, MPs have voted for a future in which thousands of people who have been deemed too unwell to work, face having their support entirely cut off after one year, regardless of how ill or disabled they may still be.
"We are extremely worried that many disabled people, including people with severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, will be forced to seek unsuitable jobs or face poverty once their year is up.
"We believe these reforms are hitting people with a mental illness harder than any other group, due to the way stress and fear directly impacts on their illness. Many of our members and supporters have been in touch to say they have become more ill as a direct result of the changes which have already been introduced and fears over what the future holds. Some even say they have thought about ending their own lives.
"The government insists that the public are behing the reforms, but our own polling shows less than 35% of adults in the UK think the reforms are fair."
ENDS
For more information, or to arrange an interview with a Rethink Mental Illness spokesperson, please contact Rachel Whitehead on 0207 8410 3138/07711805726
Notes to editors
Rethink Mental Illness is a charity that believes a better life is possible for millions of people affected by mental illness.
For 40 years we have brought people together to support each other. We run services and support groups that change people’s lives and challenge attitudes about mental illness.
We directly support almost 60,000 people every year across England to get through crises, to live independently and to realise they are not alone.
We give information and advice to 500,000 more and we change policy and attitudes for millions.
For more information go to www.rethink.org
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