Effectively, the UK Benefits System no longer recognizes "Mental Illness" as a reason to be off work.
In truth, it never really did.
This does not sit well with the recent surge in the media and from some political quarters of "mental illness" awareness and pro-"mental illness" rhetoric and hype.
Neither does it sit well with the massive extent of benefit claiming that was made by people with "Mental Health problems." For decades, people have signed off sick in the UK with "mental health problems" in quite large numbers.
Many people who weren't disabled at all were encouraged - admittedly by well-meaning people - to claim DLA (Disability Living Allowance) for decades. And sometimes DLA was awarded to such people.
This continues with people being awarded benefits for being so sick that they cannot work, when they could really work. But the system is tightening up.
Look at the small print and it becomes clear that strictly speaking no changes are needed and such benefits should never have been awarded at all.
Szasz was well aware of this kind of issue in all his writings and wrote extensively about issues around supposed "malingering".
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The mismatch pointed to above at the beginning of this post also accentuates the under-class status of what was and still is in the UK quite a large number of people - the longterm unemployed also designated "mentally ill."
In 2014, these people are starved of facilities more than they ever were.
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My own personal view is that the best solution to the problem of wage slavery and benefits is
A GUARANTEED BASIC INCOME FOR ALL, regardless of work activities or work payments.
I have never "malingered".
I was always told to claim sickness benefits by others and effectively coerced into doing so.
