Free mental health & benefits handbook

The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) and mental health charity Mind have launched a free Mental Health and Benefits Handbook for carers and families who need to help someone living with mental health challenges apply for benefits.

The comprehensive guide looks at the problems that could be faced when making a benefit claim, and gives legal insight and practical guidance.

Content

The handbook covers:

Mental health symptoms
How to discuss symptoms & treatment
Challenging decisions
Safeguarding
Recognising complex need
Barriers within the benefits system
Universal credit
Personal Independence Payments
Assessments and appeals
Supporting evidence
Getting reasonable adjustments.

People who have lived experience of navigating the benefits system while managing mental health challenges have shared their insights, which have been used to create the guidance and examples in the handbook.

As well as descriptions of various mental health conditions, the guide gives recommendations and tips to help someone who is mentally unwell overcome some of the difficulties that can be faced when applying for benefits.

Update

The handbook will be updated regularly to reflect any changes to the benefits system.

It will ensure that carers and families have all the latest information they need to help people living with mental ill-health understand their rights.

View the handbook for free on CPAG’s website for advisers, AskCPAG.