MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING RESOURCE
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Financial support
People with mental health problems are entitled to certain welfare benefits, such as incapacity benefit, to support them while they are experiencing difficulties. These benefits should also be available to refugees with full refugee status or exceptional leave to remain (ELR). Asylum seekers still going through the asylum process are not entitled to support through the welfare system but can usually receive basic support from the National Asylum Support Service (NASS).
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Rethink offer detailed guidelines on the welfare benefits available to people with mental health problems. This includes information on help with the cost of prescriptions, means-tested benefits, Disability Living Allowance, Incapacity Benefit and Carer's Allowance.
Rethink also detail ways of getting back into work after a period of ill health and explain government support for back-to-work initiatives such as voluntary work. They also provide information on 'permitted' work (formerly 'therapeutic' work) and how it affects any means-tested benefits.
Updated 2007
Asylum seekers who are granted refugee status or exceptional leave to remain (ELR) can claim full income support from the date of their new status. The Refugee Council provides details of welfare entitlements following a positive asylum decision.
2003
On 8th January 2003, the Government implemented Section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration & Asylum Act 2002. This allowed the Home Office to deny in-country asylum applicants access to NASS support. The policy was successfully challenged in the High Court; a Home Office appeal was dismissed. This means that although the Home Office will continue to make decisions on eligibility for support under Section 55, it will have to overhaul procedures to make the screening and decision making process fairer and more reasonable.
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© 2003 HARP - Social Inclusion Research Programme |
