Nat's welfare policies #2 : "Stickin' it to the mentally ill."

On page one of their welfare policy background paper, National complains that there has been a "steady increase" in the number of people receiving the sickness benefit since Labour came to power.

In reality, the number of people on the SB has only grown by 5,000 since 1999. As a percentage of total working age population, the SB has gone from being 1.2% in 1999 to ... 1.2% of the population in 2007 - so no increase at all.
page 38 of the 2007 Labour Market Report and page 1 of the background paper at the National Party's semi-official blog.

The claim of a "steady rise" in the number of people on invalid's benefit also has little substance. In 1999 1.7% of the working age population were on the IB, compared to 2.4% in 2007. It should be noted however that this figure was incrementally rising throughout the 1990s under National. We have an aging population, and as people get older, they're more likely to suffer from an incapacitating illness. So the small rise that has happened during Labour's tenure would probably have occurred had Labour retained National's policies.

So for starters, the entire rational for National's proposed welfare reforms policy (an "out of control" welfare state) is invalid.

Another interesting point .... National sees it important to note that 38% of SB recipients and 30% of IB recipients are on the benefit because of psychological or psychiatric conditions. As if mental health issues aren't real, and don't affect people as physical illnesses do.

Indeed, on page 4 of the document it is stated that National
will require plans (of people on invalids and sickness benefits) to be focused squarely on preparing people for work. But I hear you say, what if someone suffers from schizophrenia bi-polar, or some other potentially severely debilitating mental illness? Wouldn't puuting them in that situation be potentially dangerous?

On this point, National offers some soothing words, claiming that:

people who are seriously ill or disabled will be treated with compassion and will never face any kind of work obligations.

But on the same page it is pointed out that The (Social Security) Act also allows Work and Income to require a person to get a second opinion from a doctor agreed between the parties or, failing that, a doctor nominated by Work and Income.

National sees the "increase" in the number of people on a benefit due to mental health issues as a problem, and they'll appoint their own Tory doctors (rather than regular doctors) to decide which mentally ill people should be forced to meet "work obligations" (they will be required to spend at least 15 hours per week in employment, training, or job-seeking activities). If the mentally ill person fails to meet any of these requirements three times in a twelve month period (i.e. they have an "episode" etc) they will be without income for 13 weeks. Needless to say, this holds the potential for some very nasty outcomes.

The standard's piece on this issue is also well worth a read