ALT DISABILITY NEWS SERVICE DWP is 'dysfunctional' & needs major review John Pring 25 Sept 2025 ...the Work & Pensions secretary, Pat McFadden...told Times Radio in March that he wanted benefit claimants with “mental health & depression & anxiety" to be "given support but not financial support” https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/dwp-is-dysfunctional-and-needs-major-review-says-lib-dem-steve-darling/ The Telegraph Block people with anxiety and ADHD from claiming benefits, says Tony Blair 28 Apr 2026 Sir Tony Blair has called for a block on people with anxiety, depression & ADHD from claiming benefits, highlighting a growing rift within Labour over welfare reform Under the TBI's proposed regime, new laws would automatically rule that "non-work-limiting" conditions such as anxiety, depression & ADHD would "no longer attract cash benefits" https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/04/28/block-people-with-anxiety-adhd-claiming-benefits-tony-blair/

ALT Faisal Islam: @faisalislam significant from PM to @bbcnickrobinson on Today re rising welfare spend coming from mental health conditions, esp young people: “I think we need to look again at this issue of mental health and ask ourselves a fundamental question, which is, would we not be better putting our money in the resources and support that is needed for mental health than simply saying it's to be provided in benefits?" 8:42am • Oct 1, 2025 • 65.1K Views https://x.com/faisalislam/status/1973292358805410059?s=20

ALT Inquest spotlights DWP's systemic failings in another unconscionable benefit death The Canary: 6 May 2026 Content warning: this article contains references to suicide DWP An inquest has once again put the DWP into the spotlight over its damning systemic neglect that led to a benefit claimant heartbreakingly taking his own life The inquest looked into the circumstances surrounding 41-year-old Northumberland resident Andrew Halliday's death. Halliday took his life less than a week after telling DWP call-handlers he was going to kill himself. Giving evidence from a medical report that Halliday's psychiatrist produced, coroner Dunn read out how Halliday had: presented with suicidal ideation. He had a long history of anxiety & depression & was known to the mental health team. The trigger on this occasion was a reduction in his Universal Credit & fear of homelessness https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/05/06/dwp-systemic-failings/

ALT ~20% of ‘Health Element’ claimants (LCW/LCWRA/ESA) qualify via the Substantial Risk route (599,000) which means “there would be a substantial risk to the mental or physical health of any person if they were found not to have LCWRA [or LCW]” Of those, >50% don’t receive PIP (301,000) & ~30% fail to qualify for PIP when they try (125,000) PIP Review Terms of Reference (30 Oct '25) reiterates intention to scrap Work Capability Assessments & make PIP the gateway for all health & disability benefits As we can see above this would adversely affect, & strip lifeline benefits from, the most psychologically vulnerable Sources (including DWP StatXplore data & DWP FOI responses) provided here: https://lurgeelife.wordpress.com/2025/08/17/the-5-remaining-pathways-to-work-proposals-the-2025-autumn-white-paper-whats-the-likely-impact/ https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/timms-review-of-pip-terms-of-reference/timms-review-of-personal-independence-payment-terms-of-reference