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.

t.whit2007

Good point, but not a grabbit!

bebewoo

Won't an enquiry cost money and therefore use taxpayers funds?

rochja

In my most austere voice I would like to point out that: 1, this is not a grabbit. 2. In your opening remarks you have already drawn your conclusions, so what is the point of pouring good money into an enquiry. 3. You have not stated your baseline on which to compare. Could it for instance be the psychological impact of living in a pariah state, unable to earn a living, unable to leave and unable to survive if you stay? Or could it be compared to everyone being given a free house, booze and uppers for life and a thousand free television channels?

jadziad

You've pre-empted the outcome of the requested enquiry, and quoted only biased evidence, so no, you can't have one on the basis of this request.

If less is spent on public services and benefits - indeed, if there isn't actually enough money to maintain current commitments unless taxes increase - then it's fairly obvious that more people will be a bit depressed. Some people will be significantly more depressed, or have other related psychological issues. It's pretty darn obvious.

Any enquiry (which is unlikely anyway, except for regular University studies/papers) would need to not be limited to just the UK - I think every other country has needed various forms of austerity, purely because it was deemed to be fiscally necessary.

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.

So... do you want to spend more than is taken in taxes? That's how a sovereign debt crisis starts. Alternatively, do you want to increase taxes to either maintain existing commitments or increase public services? The choice is yours - you can pay more in taxes, or you can have less services.

Perhaps we could have a kind sort of huge referendum on this subject, perhaps in the form of an election...

Enterprise_1701C

So - you want more money to be spent to find out why the government is trying to cut back.

It is simple - the last government overspent, and any labour government will always OVERSPEND.

If you want an enquiry into what happens when you do not put in austerity cuts in time look at Greece. They had to cut harder because the ignored the situation too long, but their situation was more or less directly caused by membership of the Euro.

If this government is allowed to carry on then we will become far more prosperous.

luker

Bloody skinflints, I wanted to research austerity on Mykonos,