Following comments by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on Sunday that there has been an "overdiagnosis" of mental health and the subsequent announcement by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Liz Kendall, about reforms to the welfare system, Mental Health Matters Chief Executive Officer, Jane Hughes, commented:

"The Government should be expanding mental health support and not adding to the stigma experienced by many struggling with their mental health. The government needs to reconsider its rhetoric on mental health and the negative impact it may be having on already vulnerable individuals.

The Health Secretary was right to emphasise that people aren't always getting the support they need in an appropriate time frame. However, adding additional stress and pressures onto already vulnerable people won't enable them to take the necessary steps back into employment.

Regrettably, the Work and Pensions Secretary also talked of “[welfare] claims for mental health being up 190%”. We know firsthand that employment can benefit mental health, but it is never right for those who are unable to work due to a mental health condition to be treated like a burden. People need their parliamentary representatives focused on utilising employment support as a "springboard", not issuing ultimatums. The Work and Pensions Secretary announcing £1bn in additional support to help people back into employment will be a good way to achieve this, especially with the ‘right to try’ changes announced.

For any individual with a mental health condition who has had to go through the process, the scrapping of the Work Capability Assessments will be received with relief. There also needs to be greater clarity for those on Personal Independence Payments and Universal Credit on how the changes will affect them personally, and an assurance given that nobody who is unable to work will be worse off as a result of these changes.

Overall, the reform of the assessment process does include some welcome measures that will improve the lives of people with mental health conditions.

However, we are hopeful the cabinet will clarify their comments on mental health in the coming days."