23rd November 2023
Responding to the UK Government’s autumn statement, Billy Watson, Chief Executive of SAMH, said:
“The UK Government’s proposals to reform the Work Capability Assessment will only add to the issues already faced by people with mental health problems. We are concerned it will mean that some people who would find it extremely challenging or even unsafe to engage in work-related activity will nevertheless be compelled to do so. We do not believe the evidence supports these reforms, and they should not be pursued.
“However, we welcome the expansion of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) in England, which will help more people with mental health problems find appropriate work on their terms. We call on the Scottish Government to use Barnett consequentials arising from this expansion to support a national rollout of IPS in Scotland, which they have so far refused to do despite compelling evidence of its effectiveness.”
