GUEST POST: Fighting the stigma

Matt Murray is a Young Fabian member. In this guest post, he writes about the difficulties encountered by people with mental health problems.

The Labour government has elevated equalities from merely a peripheral issue and as Young Fabians we have been leading the call for a progressive social agenda. Removing inequalities goes beyond policy decisions and includes a societal dimension of tackling stigma and discrimination whilst also encouraging aspiration and well-being. It is especially important that we fully recognise the impact on mental health that the economic recession has caused on young people and their prospects.

Lack of societal understanding of the variety of conditions and the impact on sufferers’ lives has led to an attitude that ‘unseen’ mental illness is less important than ‘seen’ physical disabilities. The government’s report on Mental Health and Social Exclusion, published in 2004, identified stigma and discrimination experienced by people with mental health problems as the biggest barrier to social inclusion and 55% identified stigma as a barrier to employment. It is therefore of no surprise that those with mental health conditions may not feel comfortable with being honest about their conditions when applying for jobs for fear that disclosure may harm their application. If applicants choose not to disclose their mental health conditions then they will ultimately suffer from a dangerous lack of support in the workplace, if such support exists.

Evidence shows that more than one quarter of the population still think that people who have mental health conditions should not have the same rights to a job as anyone else and fewer than four in ten employers have said that they would recruit someone who had a mental health condition. Despite these misconceptions many people with mental health conditions are successful in their jobs and people must be allowed to reach their full potential.

The economic recession has provided a backdrop of greater difficulties for young people with mental health conditions. Increased levels of unemployment amongst young people, who already experience the highest levels of developing mental health conditions, have exacerbated the stress and worry for young people facing bigger competition for jobs. Many businesses are also not pro-active in advertising support for positive mental health in the workplace to potential applicants, even where such support exists.

Poor standards of practice in the workplace regarding mental health does not only affect sufferers but Dame Carol Black’s review of the health of Britain’s working age population estimated that the economy loses over £100 billion a year through ill-health and associated sickness absence and unemployment. Mental health accounts for between £30 and £40 billion of this. Government aims for reducing incapacity benefit claims are unlikely to succeed in the recession and a renewed focus on getting people into work is needed.

The government are recognising the importance of mental health in the Equality Bill. On 7 December 2009 a cross government approach was launched on mental health and employment titled: ‘Working our way to better mental health: a framework for action’. The report provides strong commitments to further increase mental health provisions but there appears to be a lack of focus on young people with mental health and the associated problems that exist in finding and holding onto employment.