Person with MH problems should not be better off no working

A disabled person with a NMW job would be significantly better off than a disabled person solely on benefits. Their PIP isn't connected with their work status, so if they could do a job they'd continue to recieve that, plus their wage plus disability premiums that may passport to UC on top. There is no financial disincentive for disabled people to work. The issues are finding jobs suitable for their disability, and employers who will consider them.

And they’d still get PIP if working full time in a minimum wage job - PIP isn’t an out of work benefit.

It’s a very difficult problem to solve, and posts like this always result in angry replies from people outlining how awful their lives are.

Of course there are many people with physical and mental disabilities that render them completely unable to work, and these people should be adequately supported financially.

However, as unpalatable as it is to accept, there are some people who would be capable of working, but choose not to, and manage to get benefits they aren’t really entitled to. It may be that they’re lazy, or (more often) they’ve simply lost their confidence, having been out of work for so long.

The difficulty is in identifying those in the latter group, who should be supported to return to work, whilst not penalising those in the former group, who really can’t work.

This is not actually true. My parent has MH and gets ESA plus housing benefit. İt totals to around 1200 pm. A full time NMW job would add to 1800 pm after tax. Fair enough her rent is lower as she lives in a council property, but there's still a housing benefit cap which is only about 100-200 more than she actually gets.

İf she claimed PİP she would get more, but this is actually for the extra costs of mental health. However she didn't get PİP and her MH meant she couldn't face appealing.

As a single parent with a disability, I get more than a single person on NMW, but this is because I get UC for having a child and have a higher rent allowance for having a child. İt's all relative. When my daughter is an adult, I will be better off working than the amount I would get on limited capacity and single person's UC.

Plus there's the added bonus of someone with MH issues being able to pick up a few extra shifts if their mashing machine breaks, or they want a holiday. Someone on a limited income on benefits either has to apply to charities or get into debt, for these extra life challenges.

That's great that you think that. You must be some kind of socio-economic genius.
I hope you or your family never suffer from life threatening mental illness.

And thats fine but not.everyone who has a mental health condition will be eligible for disabillity benefits
And not everybody who has a mental health condtion will be able to work
Paticularly those with severe and enduring mental illness.

But if workers are expected to survive on it, why not people with mental health problems?

You aren’t justifying why state benefits should be higher than the minimum wage. And - how exactly that is supposed to work in terms of people ever feeling able to get back into work.

Any chance of you answering the question I asked about 20 minutes ago?

Yes, because MH issues are EASILY solved aren’t they, surely they just need to get a grip don’t they?!

Unfortunately a lot of minimum wage jobs are zero hours contracts which means they don’t take home £1700 per month.If we are talking about serious mental illness ie.psychosis,schizophrenia etc which requires hospitalisation,medication and ongoing mental health care then many of those people will need to be supported by benefits long term.If we are talking about anxiety,adhd and depression these are not mental illnesses they are conditions which can be managed by meds and counselling.In most cases working is beneficial and can often help their condition.In one of my local charity shops(a big well known charity)they take on volunteers who have varying learning disabilities and Down’s syndrome,the difference it makes to their confidence and self esteem is amazing and they feel valued,maybe it’s time people with certain non disabling conditions should do the same.

And all the ire is directed at the people who get that big chunk of UC paid to them, and none to the BTL landlords who make a tidy living out of it.

Because my DB owns his home, his PIP and ESA are quite a bit less than he would get working full-time on NMW. It's the housing costs that bump up the benefit entitlement to above NMW.

Haven't RTWT.

Had no idea I could be better off on benefits. I have multiple MH and physical health problems, two degrees, two diplomas, and work a DIFFICULT minimum-wage job, with extremely challenging children. I'm fiercely determined and fiercely independent, and will work until I literally can't get out of bed. Then I'll work from my bed.

I appreciate that I'm in a more fortunate position than some. But I could definitely claim disability benefits. I don't want to, because they need to go to people who need them more than I do.

Yeah, I have received my award, I don't qualify for any other benefits as before I became disabled I prioritised saving money over expensive holidays and whatever else.

So I'll probably have to buy my own goat as well. 🐐

Yes and I disagree. Someone who can’t work through no fault of their own, shouldn’t be expected to live on a basic wage. We know NMW isn’t enough to live on. Which is why those on NMW are often subsidised by UC. So why are we wanting to force disabled people to ‘survive’ on that, even though we know being disabled incurs more living costs than not being disabled?

the only people who should bring home less than a comfortable wage are those who could
work, but deliberately choose not to.

I work 30 hours a week now. I have diagnosed mental health issues. I feel lucky to now be well enough I can work and love my job. NOW working overall improves my MH.

However in the not to distant past I couldn’t work and my MH was part of that reason. If I had been forced to carry on working or face poverty I would have ended up with a breakdown at best, not being here at worse. Thankfully I was able to take the few years needed to get myself and my situation into a better position. I was then very lucky to have an opportunity with a very good employer to build myself back into the workforce. I am in a better place now than I have been for years.

the benefits system was part of what helped me be able to heal (or at least apply a comfy enough dressing I can cope for now!)

I can't imagine how difficult your life must be🤗

But why have you quoted? @gamerchick

Have you any.idea how severe mental illness can be?

Yet again, completely arse about face.

The whole problem with this "better off on Benefits" narrative is that people continually deny the actual problem, which is that employers in the UK are subsidised in order to permit them to pay a pittance in salaries.

It's not the fault of people claiming benefits, the minimum amount the government has decided they need for a minimum level of living standard, that salaries and wages in the UK are utterly abysmal.

@Mumble12 I think OP is saying they shouldn’t get more than someone working full time. Not that they should be on bare minimum income.

OP forgot to mention free goats.

I agree. Go and walk a mile in their shoes, living on what they get and tell us all how well you get on!

In fact, come and do what I do for 6 months in my caring role and tell me afterwards that you're still really envious of people with disabilities.

Incidentally, I don't claim UC. I claim Carers Allowance though and care for 4 family members with additional needs for £86/week. I then earn £150/week from what little part time work I can fit in around that. Then my kids get DLA.

I don't stop from 6am-11pm, 7 days a week. No holidays, no break...EVER! Actually, I do get a break. I get one hour a week for my hobby. Come and be jealous of this scrounger!

I challenge you to come and try my life for 6 months and NOT change your attitude!