Issues Affecting Our Communities
We have been working with national Citizens Advice since 2017 to research the issues affecting our local clients and to campaign around these issues through short, bite-sized volunteering opportunities called micro-volunteering.
This enables us to work with people who wouldn’t ordinarily be able to volunteer with us because of time-commitments. If you are interested in finding out more about this, please email volunteering@caml.org.uk
Mental Health and Welfare Benefits
This report asked the question: Does having a mental health condition disproportionately affect a person’s eligibility for welfare benefits?
The majority of our staff and volunteers who participated in the research reported that clients affected by mental health are disproportionately disadvantaged when it comes to claiming benefits. Our research suggests this problem is most evident in relation to ESA, which was mentioned specifically by 66% of respondents. The problem was also identified by respondents in relation to other benefits including: PIP, Universal Credit, Job Seekers Allowance, Housing Benefit, Attendance Allowance and Child Tax Credits.
Mental Health and Benefits Research Summary Report
Mental Health and Benefits – Research Report
Employment and Support
Our second report builds on the first and focuses on how employment and support allowance is experienced by those affected by mental health. It includes those with a mental health diagnosis, and the people who support and care for them.
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) – As Experienced By Those Affected By Mental Health
Experiences of PIP
Our third report focuses on how those affected by mental health, and those who support them, experience Personal Independence Payments (PIP). The report highlights experiences of individuals with a mental health diagnosis, individuals concerned about their mental wellbeing, family members & carers, CA Merton and Lambeth volunteers and advisers/support professionals.
Personal Independence Payments (PIP) – As Experienced By Those Affected By Mental Health