Annual review 2007/08
Stigma and discrimination
Influencing welfare reform
Making a difference
The Welfare Reform Bill passed through Parliament in 2007 bringing in a new benefit to replace Incapacity Benefit. It also gave power in some areas to cut people’s housing benefit if they had been evicted for anti-social behavior. Since untreated mental illness can result in behavior that looks like anti-social behavior, we were concerned people could lose their benefits unfairly, so we took action.
Making it happen
- We met the Department for Work and Pensions to discuss their proposals.
- We commented on their guidance to the eight local areas piloting the sanctions for anti-social behaviour evictions.
Making an impact
- People with severe mental illness were recognised in the guidance as a vulnerable group.
Moving forward
We’ll monitor how the sanctions affect people in practice. We’ll also check the regulations for the new Employment and Support Allowance and ask MPs to stop them if we think they are unfair to people with severe mental illness.
Moving you forward
If you have been unfairly targeted by these sanctions, please tell us about it. Write to campaigns@rethink.org or to Rethink Campaigns, 89 Embankment, London, SE1 7TP.
