Call for an Inquiry into the Psychological Impact of Austerity

Tigersilly

Please sign here: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/psychological-costs-of-austerity-inquiry

TO: LEADERS OF ALL UK POLITICAL PARTIES.

Commit to a parliamentary inquiry assessing the Psychological Impact of Austerity.

Why is this important?

The evidence is clear, austerity policies are having damaging psychological costs, both increasing mental distress in the present, and storing problems for the future. As a group of psychologists, therapists, service users and allies we feel it is our public and professional duty to bring these issues to light.

Britain's poorest communities have been hit the hardest by austerity measures; nearly a million people in the UK had to rely on a food bank in 2014. 84% of people who attend food banks report being humiliated by the experience, and 43% hide the experience from their children. Prolonged experiences of humiliation treble the chance of being diagnosed with depression.

This is just one example of the damaging psychological costs of austerity, which include increased experiences of: fear; mistrust; instability; isolation; and being trapped. Read the evidence in full in the Psychologists Against Austerity briefing paper:
https://psychagainstausterity.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/paa-briefing-paper.pdf

Brutal cuts to public services are a political choice, not an economic necessity. Policies which directly increase mental distress in the present and future are not only inhumane, they also make bad business sense. Mental distress already costs employers nearly £26 billion per year.

We therefore call for a parliamentary inquiry to assess the full psychological impact of austerity.

Social and economic conditions directly impact upon people's mental health. To promote well-being we need to invest in building resilient communities, rather than slashing crucial public services.