Opinion Inheriting discriminatory socio-political landscapes as ‘undeserving’ disabled people: legacy of common health problems & future for LC, 2024, Hunt

[Dolphin]

Free fulltext:
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/02610183241229050

Critical Social Policy
https://doi.org/10.1177/02610183241229050

Commentary

Inheriting discriminatory socio-political landscapes as ‘undeserving’ disabled people: The legacy of common health problems and the future for long COVID

Joanne Hunt

Abstract

The UK government's recent announcement that the highly controversial Work Capability Assessment (WCA) will likely be abolished leaves questions of what precisely will emerge in its place.

This commentary revisits a construct central to the attempted justification of the WCA, that of ‘common health problems’, which may well continue to leave a legacy in delineating purported ‘deserving’ and ‘undeserving’ impairment, ill-health and related disability.

After outlining the politically strategic application of this construct in social policy, concerns are raised for long Covid.

In particular, the risk of long Covid following the trajectory of another post-infection diagnosis, myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome, is discussed.

Keywords
biopsychosocial model, common health problems, long covid, myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome, welfare reform

 

[Peter T]

An important article, but will [it] gain enough traction to influence services and support for people with Long Covid, particularly those that meet the diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS?

[edited to correct typo]

 

[Sean]

Auguring ill in this regard is the recent 2023 Autumn Statement (Gov.Uk, 2023d), which confirmed that the government will ‘strengthen’ existing Universal Credit sanctions, including removal of right to prescriptions and legal aid alongside benefits cuts for those who ‘continue to disengage’.

Jeebus, that is brutal. But not surprising.

The biopsychosocial school have serious blood on their hands, and it is about to get a lot worse, if this stuff gets through.

 

[Kitty]

Jeebus, that is brutal.

Yup. And DWP has confirmed today that Jobcentres will no longer issue food bank vouchers to people who can't feed themselves or their kids. Many food banks won't give out parcels without a referral.

https://www.theguardian.com/society...top-referring-benefit-claimants-to-food-banks

 

[Sean]

It is the UK version of the repressive Chinese social credit policy.

So much for the British sense of fair play.

 

[Trish]

Thank you Joanne Hunt. I think this is a clear account of the historical situation in the UK in terms problems with access to state disability benefits for people with serious long term health conditions such as ME/CFS and now likely to be applied to people with Long Covid too.

The familiar names are there - Wessely, Aylward, Waddell, White, Sharpe...

It's horrifying that 20 and more years on from this onsaught on sick people by the DWP, far from increasing understanding of mistakes made, politicians from across the political spectrum are doubling down on mistreatment of sick people.

I think one of the worst aspect of planned changes is that job coaches with no medical background will be expected to judge whether someone is well enough to work.