Money and Mental Health-what is the connection?

By Rona Topaz

I recently attended a board meeting as an “expert by experience” for one of the country’s largest mental health charities. Dare I name and shame them?

Let’s just say the name of the charity has 4 letters… I’ll let you work it out.. ) I mentioned the new welfare reforms, which include allowing the DWP to spy on bank accounts and arrest disabled people who are not spending their benefits accordingly, as well as reducing the ability to claim Personal Independence Payment, and a number of other measures specially designed to make mentally distressed claimants consider suicide as an option.

I mentioned this to the board, as a probable cause of mental ill health. The reaction was stony silence, apart from one person whom I think said she disagreed with me.

Later on in the conversation, it was revealed that said charity was linked to the DWP and heavily funded by the government.

So, they are between a rock and a hard place, and of course those who suffer the most are the ones who are already suffering from various mental health conditions, which they are far less likely to suffer from with a more compassionate and empowering government, of course