UK government's back-to-work schemes are 'failing' people with mental health issues

The UK government's back-to-work schemes are failing people with mental health issues, according to Mind, the mental health charity.

The charity found that support provided through the Work Programme and Jobcentre Plus is damaging people's health and making them feel less able to work than when they started.

Mind, which surveyed 439 people, found that the schemes are ineffective for people with mental health problems as only 5% of people have actually been helped into work.

The research also revealed that 83% said using back-to-work services through the Work Programme and/or Jobcentre Plus had made their mental health worse or much worse.

In addition, the study found that more than three quarters (76%) of those polled said they felt less able to work as a result of being on these schemes.

"These schemes are not appropriate for people with mental health problems," said Paul Farmer, chief executive of Mind.

"If someone is out of work because of depression and anxiety, simply asking them to attend a CV writing course is a waste of time and money, as it doesn't address the real problems they are facing.

"Forcing people to engage in these activities, and cutting their benefits if they struggle to do so, is inappropriate and counter-productive.

"This approach assumes people don't want to work and the only way to motivate them is to withdraw financial support, which only causes greater anxiety and stress, and makes returning to work less likely."

The analysis also found that 86% of respondents said they had needed more support from mental health services and/or their GP, and nearly one in four (24%) had been hospitalised or sectioned in a mental health crisis while being on these back-to-work support programmes.

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson defended the government's schemes.

"Mind are overlooking the fact that previous jobs schemes simply didn't do enough for people with mental health conditions," he said.

"Everyone is different and so the Work Programme looks at an individual's barriers to work and tailors the support specific to their needs.

"It has already helped thousands of people with mental health conditions into work - instead of just writing people off on sickness benefits as often happened in the past."