New figures show that the number of calls to NHS 24 for mental health support has soared 580 per cent in four years. A new Freedom of Information (FOI) request by Scottish Labour found that the number of calls increased from 20,434 in 2019 to 139,008 in 2022.
The newly released data also discovered that the number of calls to the service that were abandoned has risen from 645 in 2019 (3.2%) to 40,836 in 2022 (29.4%). Scottish Labour mental health spokesman Paul Sweeney said the Scottish Government must increase mental health funding to deal with this “unprecedented demand”.
Mr Sweeney said: “The numbers speak for themselves - Scotland is in the grips of a mental health epidemic and people need all the support they can get. The legacy of the pandemic and the ongoing cost of living crisis has been challenging for many people’s wellbeing, but an increase in demand for mental health support of this level is alarming.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Direct investment in mental health has more than doubled since 2020-21, with the draft budget for mental health services increasing 139 per cent over this parliament, and we continue to invest in growing the workforce and seek further improvements.”
People of working age with a mental health condition may not be aware that they could be eligible for financial support through Personal Independence Payment (PIP), or Adult Disability Payment (ADP).
Last year, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) announced significant changes to its guidance for health professionals carrying out PIP assessments across the country.
The updated guidelines published on GOV.UK include details on improved guidance for assessors on the significance of whether or not a claimant with a mental health condition is receiving medication. Assessors may incorrectly interpret the fact that a claimant with, for example depression, is not receiving any medication as evidence that their condition has very little effect on their daily living or mobility needs.
The updated guidance now points out that the severity of a mental health condition “does not necessarily correspond with the type or dosage of medication that the claimant is receiving”.
The guidance highlights that factors such as side effects, problems complying with a medication regime or the medication not being effective for that individual may all result in someone with a severe condition not receiving medication.
It goes on to say that assessors should take into account the use of treatments such as psychological therapies instead of medication.
The change could mean that more people living with a 'hidden condition' such as stress, anxiety or depression, may now be eligible for PIP.
It's also worth noting that people living in Scotland can no longer make a new claim for PIP and should instead apply for the devolved benefit, Adult Disability Payment. This is similar in structure, eligibility and payment rates to PIP, but offers a more 'people-centric' approach to the application process - find out more here.
If you have a mental health condition, whether that's something recently diagnosed following 18 months of lockdown, or an underlying condition now coming to light, it's important to understands there is financial support available and why now may be the best time to think about claiming PIP or ADP.
The current application processing time for PIP and ADP is 16 weeks, so don't put off making a claim if you think you may qualify for help.
Claiming PIP for a mental health condition
The latest statistics from the DWP show that by the end of October, there were more than three million people across the UK claiming PIP. The regional breakdown includes nearly 330,000 claimants living in Scotland, 2.6 million in England and 226,000 in Wales.
Adult Disability Payment rolled out nationwide to new claimants in Scotland at the end of August 2022 after a phased rollout which began in March. At the end of October 2022, some 3,470 people were in receipt of ADP - 3,135 were new applicants and 335 were people who had their PIP award transferred from DWP.
A successful claim for PIP or ADP is worth between £24.45 and £156.90 each week in additional financial support and as the benefit is paid every four weeks, this amounts to between £97.80 and £627.60 every payment period.
Of the overall total, there are 1,166,695 people across Scotland, England and Wales claiming PIP for a psychiatric disorder, including 124,276 living in Scotland.
The list of conditions the term 'mental health' covers is long and includes:
Mixed anxiety and depressive disorders
Mood disorders
Stress
Anxiety
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Agoraphobia
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Panic disorders
You may be eligible for PIP or ADP, and should consider making a claim to the DWP or Social Security Scotland, if you have daily living needs because of a mental health condition.
Find out if you can claim PIP or ADP as a result of an ongoing mental health condition by looking at the criteria below.
Who is eligible for PIP or ADP?
You don’t need to have worked or paid National Insurance contributions to qualify for PIP or ADP, and it doesn’t matter what your income is, if you have any savings or if you’re in or out of work - or on furlough.
You must also have a health condition or disability where you:
have had difficulties with daily living or getting around (or both) for three months
expect these difficulties to continue for at least nine months
The DWP and Social Security Scotland will evaluate the eligibility of your PIP or ADP claim over a period of 12 months, looking back for three months and forward for nine months - they must consider if your illness changes over time.
You usually need to have lived in the UK for at least two of the last three years and be in the country when you apply.
If you get or need help with any of the following because of your condition, you should consider applying for PIP:
preparing, cooking or eating food
managing your medication
washing, bathing or using the toilet
dressing and undressing
engaging and communicating with other people
reading and understanding written information
making decisions about money
planning a journey or following a route
moving around
What is classified as ‘help’ for a PIP or ADP claim
You are classified as needing help to do an activity if you need a person or a device to:
Do it for you
Do it with you
Remind you to do it
Watch you do it to keep you safe
You may also be classified as needing help if you do an activity yourself but:
You aren’t safe
You can’t complete the task well enough
You can’t complete the task often
It takes you a long time
PIP test scoring criteria
The PIP scoring criteria awards points for a statement which applies to you for each activity
The DWP will decide which statement best fits your situation most of the time. You will get a set amount of points ranging from 0 -12 points for each activity.
The total number of points you get for each group of activities will decide whether you are entitled to PIP, and how much money you will receive.
To get the standard rate daily living component, you need to score 8 to 11 points in total for the daily living activities. You need 12 points to get the enhanced rate.
To get the standard rate mobility component, you need to score 8 to 11 points in total for the mobility activities. You need 12 points to get the enhanced rate.
How is PIP and ADP paid?
PIP and ADP are usually paid every four weeks unless you are terminally ill, in which case it is paid every week.
The money will be paid directly into your bank, building society or credit union account.
PIP and ADP payment rates until April 2023
PIP is made up of two components - daily living and mobility - Adult Disability Payment is paid at the same rate.
Whether you get one or both of these and how much depends on how severely your condition affects you.
You can get the following amounts per week depending on your circumstances:
Daily living
Standard rate: £61.85
Enhanced rate: £92.40
Mobility
Standard rate: £24.45
Enhanced rate: £64.50
How you are assessed
You will be assessed by an independent healthcare professional to help the DWP work out the level of help you need.
You may be invited to attend a face-to-face, telephone or video call assessment.
In Scotland, people applying for ADP will only be invited to a face-to-face assessment if it will be beneficial to the claimant.
How to make a claim for PIP
You can make a new claim by contacting the DWP, you’ll find all the information you need to apply on the gov.uk website here.
Before you call, you will need:
your contact details, for example telephone number
your date of birth
your National Insurance number - this is on letters about tax, pensions and benefits
your bank or building society account number and sort code
your doctor or health worker’s name, address and telephone number
dates and addresses for any time you’ve spent abroad, in a care home or hospital
Once you have contacted the DWP, they will send you a document to complete which consists of 14 questions and a section for any additional information.
The questions focus on how your condition affects you - put as much relevant detail in as you can to help the assessor understand your physical and mental health needs.
If you have difficulty filling in your form or understanding the questions, contact your local council and ask for help or Citizens Advice Scotland.
We have a breakdown of all 14 questions here and you can take an anonymous self-test online at Benefits and Work to see how many points you would be awarded for each response.
For more information about PIP, visit GOV.UK here.
How to make a claim for ADP
People can apply for Adult Disability Payment online, over the phone, by post or in-person. To find out more or apply, visit the dedicated pages on mygov.scot here or call Social Security Scotland on 0800 182 2222.
To keep up to date with the latest PIP or Adult Disability Payment news, join our Money Saving Scotland Facebook page here, or subscribe to our newsletter which goes out daily, Monday to Friday - sign up here.
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