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Some PIP claimants could have their payments stopped under new proposals. A fresh set of plans suggests scrapping Personal Independence Payments for those with mental health conditions,
providing funds solely for physical ailments. Data reveals that most PIP claims pertain to mental health issues, with 1.4 million (38%) out of the total 3.66 million focusing on conditions
like anxiety and depression. Since 2013, spending on incapacity and disability benefits has surged by over 40%, reaching £64.7 billion, outstripping the UK defence budget by 20% and matching
22% of the total health expenditure. Predictions show a climb to £100.7 billion by 2029–30, resulting in a welfare bill exceeding £370 billion. This spring, the Government will set out a
major revamp of disability and incapacity benefits. With the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee pushing for swift reform, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall faces calls to
respond to their recommendations by 20 March. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has warned of 'difficult decisions' ahead of changes coming to the DWP and benefits. DWP boss Liz Kendall has
also warned millions of Brits 'radical' changes are on the way in major crackdown In anticipation of this, new proposals from the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), a centre-right
think tank, advocate halting PIP payments for mental ill-health, offering targeted assistance instead. It claims that escalating mental illness claims are contributing to increased economic
inactivity. GET ALL THE LATEST MONEY NEWS AND BUDGETING TIPS FROM CHRONICLE LIVE WITH OUR FREE NEWSLETTER The CSJ has reported a 209 per cent increase in the number of newly approved PIP
claims where mental health was the primary condition between 2019/20 and 2023/24. This cost approximately £221 million in 2019/20, rising to £683 million in 2023/24, reports BirminghamLive.
The number of people aged 16-24 not required to look for work due to long-term sickness rose by 29 per cent between 2019 and 2022, and by 42 per cent for those aged 25 to 34. The largest
increase in long-term sickness was due to mental illness, which saw an increase of around 20,000, up nearly a quarter (24 per cent). CSJ polling found that nearly half (48 per cent) of the
public agree that people with mild symptoms of less severe mental ill-health should receive "benefits-in-kind" - non-financial forms of support - with only 18 per cent saying they
should receive cash. PIP payments currently range from £114.80 to £737.20 every four weeks, set to rise to £116.80 and £749.80 from April 2025. The CSJ has criticised the UK's approach
to mental health, suggesting there is an excessive readiness to label people with mental health conditions when they might simply be feeling miserable or lonely. It has emerged that only a
trio of the nation's 49 health trusts actually define what constitutes mental health, with psychiatrists acknowledging the subjective nature of diagnoses. The CSJ's report
highlights concerns, stating: "In a desire to support and enable individuals to have positive mental health, there is a danger that the pendulum has swung too far and that the
boundaries between distress and disorder have become blurred. This is not compassionate. It risks those who are unwell missing out on the treatment they deserve, and it risks burdening
others with unhelpful labels that can hold them back without addressing the root cause of their very real needs."