Benefits and work for people with mental health problems: a briefing for mental health workers

Authors:
SEEBOHM Patience, SCOTT Judy
Publisher:
Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health
Publication year:
2004
Pagination:
8p., bibliog.
Place of publication:
London

Mental health service users often want to return to work, but after six months of sickness absence, only half ever succeed. Many are unsure or misinformed about how to make the journey into employment without feeling financially or emotionally insecure. It is important for mental health support workers in every field to have some knowledge of the benefits system – this briefing enables them to offer accurate guidance which will help service users make the move into employment with reduced risk to their wellbeing or their income. The briefing identifies seven major disincentives to work which must be tackled by policy makers before returning to employment can become a clear, easy process for service users. Under the present system, people may experience no financial gain, or even a drop in income from working, they may be unable to get financial support for practical needs at work, and they may be forced to undergo an untimely medical review.

Subject terms:
mental health problems, service users, benefits, employment;
Content type:
research
Location(s):
United Kingdom
Link:
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Series name:
Briefing
Series no:
27

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