Get support for anxiety and depression in Barnet doubles

DWP figures show 1,703 people in Barnet received PIP for anxiety and depression, reports in April Andrew Dowdeswell, Data Reporter

The number of people in Barnet getting help for anxiety and depression has more than doubled since before the coronavirus pandemic, new figures show.

It comes as the Tories have announced they will tackle rising social costs and reform the benefits system if they win the general election, which they say will save £12 billion a year by the end of the next parliament.

The pledge includes reforming disability benefits, with Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride saying some people with mental health problems could lose their Independent Personal Payment.

It is given to people with long-term physical or mental conditions to help them carry on with their day-to-day tasks.

Figures from the Department for Work and Pensions show that 1,703 people in Barnet received PIP for anxiety and depression in April.

This was up from 1,376 the previous year and was more than double the 658 people who received support in April 2019, before the pandemic.

In England and Wales, 351,213 people received support for mental health problems in April.

This figure has more than doubled since 2019, with Mr Stride suggesting to The Times that people with “milder mental conditions” will no longer receive financial support.

He said: “There are those who have perhaps milder mental conditions, or where perhaps there has been too much of a movement towards labeling certain behaviors as having certain (medical) conditions attached to them, where actually work is the answer or part of it. from him. Answer.

“What we have to avoid is being in a situation where we too easily say, ‘Well, actually, we need you to get the benefits.’

Nationally, for all disability and medical reasons, 3.4 million people received PIP in April – up from 1.9 million in 2019.

Meanwhile, the number of people receiving disability benefits in Barnet has risen by 85% in the past four years.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “Welfare reform is a moral mission. Work is a source of dignity, purpose and hope, and I want everyone to be able to overcome any barriers they may face to live an independent and fulfilling life.

“That’s why we’ve announced a significant increase in mental health provision, as well as changes to ensure that those who can work, do work.”

The Institute for Fiscal Studies said the Tories’ proposal, which would cut spending by £12 billion from the budget forecast, “looks difficult in the extreme”.

Tom Waters, IFS associate director, said “history suggests that spending cuts are often much harder to achieve than claimed” in terms of reducing mental health benefits.

A Labor spokesman said: “This is the latest desperate announcement from Rishi Sunak, who has once again pulled numbers out of thin air in an attempt to hide the fact that he has caused a spiraling benefits bill.

“These rehashed pledges, old policies and vague promises will not get Britain healthy or benefits under control and do nothing to address the fact that £10 billion of taxpayers’ money was lost to fraud just last year.”

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