The DWP has said that over 1,000 new PIP awards are being issued every day with the latest figures showing there are now 3.7 million claimants in England and Wales.
It's estimated that a third will cite some form of mental health ailment.
So 330 new people every day are awarded benefits because they are mentally unbalanced.
Why such an increase? Is it because a mental health condition is easier to blag than a physical condition, or are people today far more likely to have a mental illness....and if so, why?
Anonymous said
Jul 3 12:47 AM, 2025
Syl wrote:
The DWP has said that over 1,000 new PIP awards are being issued every day with the latest figures showing there are now 3.7 million claimants in England and Wales.
It's estimated that a third will cite some form of mental health ailment.
So 330 new people every day are awarded benefits because they are mentally unbalanced.
Why such an increase? Is it because a mental health condition is easier to blag than a physical condition, or are people today far more likely to have a mental illness....and if so, why?
The DWP is known to fudge figures so I take what they say with a pinch of salt.
Getting PIP in itself with an obvious physical disability is hard enough so good luck with the blaggers if they think MH fakery is going to work.
Magica said
Jul 3 11:27 AM, 2025
Syl wrote:
The DWP has said that over 1,000 new PIP awards are being issued every day with the latest figures showing there are now 3.7 million claimants in England and Wales.
It's estimated that a third will cite some form of mental health ailment.
So 330 new people every day are awarded benefits because they are mentally unbalanced.
Why such an increase? Is it because a mental health condition is easier to blag than a physical condition, or are people today far more likely to have a mental illness....and if so, why?
Anyone can pretend depression and doctors believe them. Give them antidepressants and away they go.
They should really be tested by psychiatrist before any hand outs are given. If they are putting it on, they will know. Then no handouts. Genuine people will then get the help they need from psychiatric care.
Anonymous said
Jul 3 5:50 PM, 2025
Magica wrote:
Syl wrote:
The DWP has said that over 1,000 new PIP awards are being issued every day with the latest figures showing there are now 3.7 million claimants in England and Wales.
It's estimated that a third will cite some form of mental health ailment.
So 330 new people every day are awarded benefits because they are mentally unbalanced.
Why such an increase? Is it because a mental health condition is easier to blag than a physical condition, or are people today far more likely to have a mental illness....and if so, why?
Anyone can pretend depression and doctors believe them. Give them antidepressants and away they go.
They should really be tested by psychiatrist before any hand outs are given. If they are putting it on, they will know. Then no handouts. Genuine people will then get the help they need from psychiatric care.
Even having documented “proof” from a psychiatrist, a GP, a CPN etc doesn’t guarantee PIP. One of the problems is that the PIP “assessors” aren’t always qualified in, eg, MH…they may be great general nurses but have no expertise in the very things they’re supposedly assessing.
Syl said
Jul 3 8:14 PM, 2025
If people are showing suicidal tendencies, or simply say they are, how can one be distinguished from the other?
Who would employ a person is they are feeling suicidal at the time?
A bad back or similar can be investigated, a persons mind is not so easy to fathom.
Magica said
Jul 3 9:26 PM, 2025
Anonymous wrote:
Magica wrote:
Syl wrote:
The DWP has said that over 1,000 new PIP awards are being issued every day with the latest figures showing there are now 3.7 million claimants in England and Wales.
It's estimated that a third will cite some form of mental health ailment.
So 330 new people every day are awarded benefits because they are mentally unbalanced.
Why such an increase? Is it because a mental health condition is easier to blag than a physical condition, or are people today far more likely to have a mental illness....and if so, why?
Anyone can pretend depression and doctors believe them. Give them antidepressants and away they go.
They should really be tested by psychiatrist before any hand outs are given. If they are putting it on, they will know. Then no handouts. Genuine people will then get the help they need from psychiatric care.
Even having documented “proof” from a psychiatrist, a GP, a CPN etc doesn’t guarantee PIP. One of the problems is that the PIP “assessors” aren’t always qualified in, eg, MH…they may be great general nurses but have no expertise in the very things they’re supposedly assessing.
True. These accessors are not doctors tbh. Many haven't a clue.
I thought maybe the doctor could send them to see a Psychiatrist, then go from there. There are genuine depressed people, that could get help from psychiatrist. The ones who pretend will be sussed out.
Magica said
Jul 3 9:27 PM, 2025
Syl wrote:
If people are showing suicidal tendencies, or simply say they are, how can one be distinguished from the other? Who would employ a person is they are feeling suicidal at the time? A bad back or similar can be investigated, a persons mind is not so easy to fathom.
That's why I thought a Psychiatrist could help.
Syl said
Jul 3 11:31 PM, 2025
It's unbelievable that unqualified people can judge whether a person's illness or disability is genuine or not.
How come so many people can qualify for PIP now?
From the summer of 2021 to 2022, the number of people receiving the payment doubled to 2.8 million. Now (as from January) that figure stands at 3.7 million.
Magica said
Jul 4 10:40 AM, 2025
Syl wrote:
It's unbelievable that unqualified people can judge whether a person's illness or disability is genuine or not.
How come so many people can qualify for PIP now? From the summer of 2021 to 2022, the number of people receiving the payment doubled to 2.8 million. Now (as from January) that figure stands at 3.7 million.
It's so wrong. They have a list in front of them and just tick boxes. Ridiculous.
Fluffy said
Jul 4 4:37 PM, 2025
Syl wrote:
If people are showing suicidal tendencies, or simply say they are, how can one be distinguished from the other? Who would employ a person is they are feeling suicidal at the time? A bad back or similar can be investigated, a persons mind is not so easy to fathom.
A mentally ill individual will have a medical backlog of years of anxiety and anguish, fear of the world and themselves. If they are truly suicidal, it is likely they will go through with it and hopefully are saved before it's too late.
It sickens me that chancers pretend to be mentally ill in order to obtain benefits but as the well learned Anon correctly says it's very difficult to con the system. A truly depressed person doesn't just look sad and mope around. Often they won't be able to eat, will just lay in bed with a flat effect to their words.It's frightening, like talking to a robot not your loved one as they seem to have sunk inside themselves. Loved ones will know the difference.
The whole Welfare Bill sickens me tbh. I understand the Tories destroyed the economy and the NHS, ditto the education system and the schools themselves which are practically falling down. But right wing politics serves at the altar of capitalism and that's why it doesn't care about such things. Labour MP's and core voters don't expect a Welfare Bill aimed at targeting those worst off in society. If Starmer doesn't get his act together I don't see any government that is currently worthy enough to serve the British public. (sorry for going off on a tangent!)
Syl said
Jul 4 4:52 PM, 2025
Labour got in because people were heartily sick of the Tories. The way things are going Reform will romp home next time because Labour have made such a mess of governing.
People won't vote Reform because they are any good, they will just vote them in because they are not Labour or Cons.
I agree....we have no party at present fit to govern.
Fluffy said
Jul 4 4:57 PM, 2025
Magica wrote:
Syl wrote:
It's unbelievable that unqualified people can judge whether a person's illness or disability is genuine or not.
How come so many people can qualify for PIP now? From the summer of 2021 to 2022, the number of people receiving the payment doubled to 2.8 million. Now (as from January) that figure stands at 3.7 million.
It's so wrong. They have a list in front of them and just tick boxes. Ridiculous.
I believe in genuine cases doctors and those employed by mental health services can contact the box tickers and provide them with key information about the individuals mental health history and issues. Somebody pretending to be mentally ill won't be able to do that.
As to why there appears to be more depressed and anxious people I think Covid and the increased isolation had something to do with it. Also the image obsessed competitive nature of social media doesn't help. However there is something more insidious than that which seems to have changed British culture, we are weaker on the world stage since Brexit and younger people in this country seem weaker.Teenager's are constantly given lifts to school due to stranger danger, they get exactly what they want for tea and are always molly coddled, well a significant proportion are. I think I'm eluding to what Digger was talking about. Life hasn't necessarily become more difficult but a significant proportion of people in their twenties are weak when they come of age and are expected to hold down a job. I call it the "Tim Henman" effect.
Obviously, there are people with genuine mental health concerns who have experienced dreadful trauma or have clinical depression, attributed to low serotonin levels in the brain. But do all the people currently requesting PIP in the mental health component have genuine clinical depression? No. They just haven't been taught life skills by their school or parents and are frightened.
Fluffy said
Jul 4 5:03 PM, 2025
Syl wrote:
Labour got in because people were heartily sick of the Tories. The way things are going Reform will romp home next time because Labour have made such a mess of governing. People won't vote Reform because they are any good, they will just vote them in because they are not Labour or Cons.
I agree....we have no party at present fit to govern.
Syl, Reform are so dangerous. I'm sorry if you support them and I respect your opinion but they are more right wing than the Tories and do not care for ordinary working families. Farage is pretending he does not approve of slashing benefits..But he does. He is a consummate liar that is deceiving decent working class people with professional ease. Also they seem to have no policies unrelated to immigration.
We are still waiting for the two million pounds he and Michael Gove promised the NHS. Sadly people forget con's like this.
Syl said
Jul 4 5:36 PM, 2025
Fluffy wrote:
Syl wrote:
Labour got in because people were heartily sick of the Tories. The way things are going Reform will romp home next time because Labour have made such a mess of governing. People won't vote Reform because they are any good, they will just vote them in because they are not Labour or Cons.
I agree....we have no party at present fit to govern.
Syl, Reform are so dangerous. I'm sorry if you support them and I respect your opinion but they are more right wing than the Tories and do not care for ordinary working families. Farage is pretending he does not approve of slashing benefits..But he does. He is a consummate liar that is deceiving decent working class people with professional ease. Also they seem to have no policies unrelated to immigration.
We are still waiting for the two million pounds he and Michael Gove promised the NHS. Sadly people forget con's like this.
I don't support Reform Fluffy, I believe they just say they will do what some people want any government to do, ie control immigration. That is their main topic.
They have no original ideas of how to do this...none that are legal anyway.
I said we have no party at present fit to govern...and that's what I believe.
Maddog said
Jul 4 7:14 PM, 2025
Syl wrote:
The DWP has said that over 1,000 new PIP awards are being issued every day with the latest figures showing there are now 3.7 million claimants in England and Wales.
It's estimated that a third will cite some form of mental health ailment.
So 330 new people every day are awarded benefits because they are mentally unbalanced.
Why such an increase? Is it because a mental health condition is easier to blag than a physical condition, or are people today far more likely to have a mental illness....and if so, why?
It's probably a little of both..
Young people can't cope with a world that's actually easier to survive in.
They also feel more entitlement to stuff paid for by others..
A great British politician had a great quote about other people's money.
Anonymous said
Jul 4 9:39 PM, 2025
Syl wrote:
Fluffy wrote:
Syl wrote:
Labour got in because people were heartily sick of the Tories. The way things are going Reform will romp home next time because Labour have made such a mess of governing. People won't vote Reform because they are any good, they will just vote them in because they are not Labour or Cons.
I agree....we have no party at present fit to govern.
Syl, Reform are so dangerous. I'm sorry if you support them and I respect your opinion but they are more right wing than the Tories and do not care for ordinary working families. Farage is pretending he does not approve of slashing benefits..But he does. He is a consummate liar that is deceiving decent working class people with professional ease. Also they seem to have no policies unrelated to immigration.
We are still waiting for the two million pounds he and Michael Gove promised the NHS. Sadly people forget con's like this.
I don't support Reform Fluffy, I believe they just say they will do what some people want any government to do, ie control immigration. That is their main topic.
They have no original ideas of how to do this...none that are legal anyway.
I said we have no party at present fit to govern...and that's what I believe.
Maybe I’m part of the wider problem as I gave up on voting many years ago. I used to be a Labour voter, I agreed with their ”speaking” for the working class but my support stopped over time so I suppose I have no right to complain about the state of the country now.
But there is not one politician I respect or trust, not one. When someone is worth £xx million telling OAPs to add another layer of clothing when it’s freezing; when illegal immigrants are welcomed and given cash in their pocket and a higher standard of roof over their heads than most working families; when many sick and disabled are left to rot and are deprived of the funds they paid into; when young raped girls are labelled promiscuous because the rapist’s vote is deemed more precious; when parties were being held whilst Joe Public was denied visiting/sitting with dying loved ones; when the media and police hands are tied releasing the ethnicity of a wrong-doer…
When someone with a shred of a backbone speaks and acts on behalf of the man in the street of this country I will use my vote but as that is never going to happen they can all feck off.
Fluffy said
Jul 6 11:22 AM, 2025
Anonymous wrote:
Syl wrote:
Fluffy wrote:
Syl wrote:
Labour got in because people were heartily sick of the Tories. The way things are going Reform will romp home next time because Labour have made such a mess of governing. People won't vote Reform because they are any good, they will just vote them in because they are not Labour or Cons.
I agree....we have no party at present fit to govern.
Syl, Reform are so dangerous. I'm sorry if you support them and I respect your opinion but they are more right wing than the Tories and do not care for ordinary working families. Farage is pretending he does not approve of slashing benefits..But he does. He is a consummate liar that is deceiving decent working class people with professional ease. Also they seem to have no policies unrelated to immigration.
We are still waiting for the two million pounds he and Michael Gove promised the NHS. Sadly people forget con's like this.
I don't support Reform Fluffy, I believe they just say they will do what some people want any government to do, ie control immigration. That is their main topic.
They have no original ideas of how to do this...none that are legal anyway.
I said we have no party at present fit to govern...and that's what I believe.
Maybe I’m part of the wider problem as I gave up on voting many years ago. I used to be a Labour voter, I agreed with their ”speaking” for the working class but my support stopped over time so I suppose I have no right to complain about the state of the country now.
But there is not one politician I respect or trust, not one. When someone is worth £xx million telling OAPs to add another layer of clothing when it’s freezing; when illegal immigrants are welcomed and given cash in their pocket and a higher standard of roof over their heads than most working families; when many sick and disabled are left to rot and are deprived of the funds they paid into; when young raped girls are labelled promiscuous because the rapist’s vote is deemed more precious; when parties were being held whilst Joe Public was denied visiting/sitting with dying loved ones; when the media and police hands are tied releasing the ethnicity of a wrong-doer…
When someone with a shred of a backbone speaks and acts on behalf of the man in the street of this country I will use my vote but as that is never going to happen they can all feck off.
I agree with most of your points Anon. Jeremy Corbyn spoke up for the man in the street, all of his values and policies were concerned with making life fair for working families and people just mocked his suits. You may not have been a supporter of his which I do understand, he was not really fit to be a PM on the world stage. But I believe his heart was in the right place.
Lord Kinnock has suggested we tax those with a fortune of ten million a little more. I agree with this in principle because Labour need to find the money the Tories squandered. However some of the absurdly rich have already left the country due to slightly higher taxes so whilst taxing people with film star fortunes seems logical those people are so greedy they will just leave and we will have even less money. Human nature is the problem.
I don't see a way out of the mess Britain has sadly created for itself. Brexit has made us so much poorer and we are no longer respected as a country globally the way we used to be. No country can be isolated and thrive in any event but now Trump is President and threatening the financial equilibrium of all our choice to retreat from Europe has truly cost us dear. Labour needs to return more to it's roots, they used to be the party of the common man and that's why their attempts to take money and comfort from pensioners and the poor was met with so much revulsion. We have enough right wing parties promoting austerity and depriving public services ,we don't need anymore.
If Starmer was booted from his role of PM this may be a start. He has proven that he will just abandon his morals at the drop of a hat and is so universally disliked I don't see how Labour will be respected by the electorate with him at the helm. This would be a start. But as you say, who is fit to take his place?
Red Okktober said
Jul 6 1:10 PM, 2025
The woman in charge of stopping illegal immigration into the UK
Magica said
Jul 6 1:52 PM, 2025
Red Okktober wrote:
The woman in charge of stopping illegal immigration into the UK
Why am I not surprised!
Red Okktober said
Jul 6 2:49 PM, 2025
Magica wrote:
Why am I not surprised!
I remember her being interviewed during the 'migrant crisis' - she was firmly in the 'let them all in, they are desperate' camp
And now she has this job. She is so weak and ineffective.
She reminds me more of someone who works part time in a charity shop or a florists.
The DWP has said that over 1,000 new PIP awards are being issued every day with the latest figures showing there are now 3.7 million claimants in England and Wales.
It's estimated that a third will cite some form of mental health ailment.
So 330 new people every day are awarded benefits because they are mentally unbalanced.
Why such an increase? Is it because a mental health condition is easier to blag than a physical condition, or are people today far more likely to have a mental illness....and if so, why?
The DWP is known to fudge figures so I take what they say with a pinch of salt.
Getting PIP in itself with an obvious physical disability is hard enough so good luck with the blaggers if they think MH fakery is going to work.
Anyone can pretend depression and doctors believe them. Give them antidepressants and away they go.
They should really be tested by psychiatrist before any hand outs are given. If they are putting it on, they will know. Then no handouts. Genuine people will then get the help they need from psychiatric care.
Even having documented “proof” from a psychiatrist, a GP, a CPN etc doesn’t guarantee PIP. One of the problems is that the PIP “assessors” aren’t always qualified in, eg, MH…they may be great general nurses but have no expertise in the very things they’re supposedly assessing.
Who would employ a person is they are feeling suicidal at the time?
A bad back or similar can be investigated, a persons mind is not so easy to fathom.
True. These accessors are not doctors tbh. Many haven't a clue.
I thought maybe the doctor could send them to see a Psychiatrist, then go from there. There are genuine depressed people, that could get help from psychiatrist. The ones who pretend will be sussed out.
That's why I thought a Psychiatrist could help.
How come so many people can qualify for PIP now?
From the summer of 2021 to 2022, the number of people receiving the payment doubled to 2.8 million. Now (as from January) that figure stands at 3.7 million.
It's so wrong. They have a list in front of them and just tick boxes. Ridiculous.
A mentally ill individual will have a medical backlog of years of anxiety and anguish, fear of the world and themselves. If they are truly suicidal, it is likely they will go through with it and hopefully are saved before it's too late.
It sickens me that chancers pretend to be mentally ill in order to obtain benefits but as the well learned Anon correctly says it's very difficult to con the system. A truly depressed person doesn't just look sad and mope around. Often they won't be able to eat, will just lay in bed with a flat effect to their words.It's frightening, like talking to a robot not your loved one as they seem to have sunk inside themselves. Loved ones will know the difference.
The whole Welfare Bill sickens me tbh. I understand the Tories destroyed the economy and the NHS, ditto the education system and the schools themselves which are practically falling down. But right wing politics serves at the altar of capitalism and that's why it doesn't care about such things. Labour MP's and core voters don't expect a Welfare Bill aimed at targeting those worst off in society. If Starmer doesn't get his act together I don't see any government that is currently worthy enough to serve the British public. (sorry for going off on a tangent!
)
People won't vote Reform because they are any good, they will just vote them in because they are not Labour or Cons.
I agree....we have no party at present fit to govern.
I believe in genuine cases doctors and those employed by mental health services can contact the box tickers and provide them with key information about the individuals mental health history and issues. Somebody pretending to be mentally ill won't be able to do that.
As to why there appears to be more depressed and anxious people I think Covid and the increased isolation had something to do with it. Also the image obsessed competitive nature of social media doesn't help. However there is something more insidious than that which seems to have changed British culture, we are weaker on the world stage since Brexit and younger people in this country seem weaker.Teenager's are constantly given lifts to school due to stranger danger, they get exactly what they want for tea and are always molly coddled, well a significant proportion are. I think I'm eluding to what Digger was talking about. Life hasn't necessarily become more difficult but a significant proportion of people in their twenties are weak when they come of age and are expected to hold down a job. I call it the "Tim Henman" effect.
Obviously, there are people with genuine mental health concerns who have experienced dreadful trauma or have clinical depression, attributed to low serotonin levels in the brain. But do all the people currently requesting PIP in the mental health component have genuine clinical depression? No. They just haven't been taught life skills by their school or parents and are frightened.
Syl, Reform are so dangerous. I'm sorry if you support them and I respect your opinion but they are more right wing than the Tories and do not care for ordinary working families. Farage is pretending he does not approve of slashing benefits..But he does. He is a consummate liar that is deceiving decent working class people with professional ease. Also they seem to have no policies unrelated to immigration.
We are still waiting for the two million pounds he and Michael Gove promised the NHS. Sadly people forget con's like this.
I don't support Reform Fluffy, I believe they just say they will do what some people want any government to do, ie control immigration. That is their main topic.
They have no original ideas of how to do this...none that are legal anyway.
I said we have no party at present fit to govern...and that's what I believe.
It's probably a little of both..
Young people can't cope with a world that's actually easier to survive in.
They also feel more entitlement to stuff paid for by others..
A great British politician had a great quote about other people's money.
Maybe I’m part of the wider problem as I gave up on voting many years ago. I used to be a Labour voter, I agreed with their ”speaking” for the working class but my support stopped over time so I suppose I have no right to complain about the state of the country now.
But there is not one politician I respect or trust, not one. When someone is worth £xx million telling OAPs to add another layer of clothing when it’s freezing; when illegal immigrants are welcomed and given cash in their pocket and a higher standard of roof over their heads than most working families; when many sick and disabled are left to rot and are deprived of the funds they paid into; when young raped girls are labelled promiscuous because the rapist’s vote is deemed more precious; when parties were being held whilst Joe Public was denied visiting/sitting with dying loved ones; when the media and police hands are tied releasing the ethnicity of a wrong-doer…
When someone with a shred of a backbone speaks and acts on behalf of the man in the street of this country I will use my vote but as that is never going to happen they can all feck off.
I agree with most of your points Anon. Jeremy Corbyn spoke up for the man in the street, all of his values and policies were concerned with making life fair for working families and people just mocked his suits. You may not have been a supporter of his which I do understand, he was not really fit to be a PM on the world stage. But I believe his heart was in the right place.
Lord Kinnock has suggested we tax those with a fortune of ten million a little more. I agree with this in principle because Labour need to find the money the Tories squandered. However some of the absurdly rich have already left the country due to slightly higher taxes so whilst taxing people with film star fortunes seems logical those people are so greedy they will just leave and we will have even less money. Human nature is the problem.
I don't see a way out of the mess Britain has sadly created for itself. Brexit has made us so much poorer and we are no longer respected as a country globally the way we used to be. No country can be isolated and thrive in any event but now Trump is President and threatening the financial equilibrium of all our choice to retreat from Europe has truly cost us dear. Labour needs to return more to it's roots, they used to be the party of the common man and that's why their attempts to take money and comfort from pensioners and the poor was met with so much revulsion. We have enough right wing parties promoting austerity and depriving public services ,we don't need anymore.
If Starmer was booted from his role of PM this may be a start. He has proven that he will just abandon his morals at the drop of a hat and is so universally disliked I don't see how Labour will be respected by the electorate with him at the helm. This would be a start. But as you say, who is fit to take his place?
The woman in charge of stopping illegal immigration into the UK
Why am I not surprised!
I remember her being interviewed during the 'migrant crisis' - she was firmly in the 'let them all in, they are desperate' camp
And now she has this job. She is so weak and ineffective.
She reminds me more of someone who works part time in a charity shop or a florists.