DWP don’t need any help attacking disabled people

Another day, another media shill doing the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) job of turning the public against PIP claimants for them. Most annoyingly, this time it’s a physically disabled person who is throwing people with mental health conditions under the bus. But then it is Julie Burchill.

DWP don’t need a hand denigrating mental health

Burchill is, by her own definition. a ‘Rad-fem, Christian Zionist’, she’s best known for her abhorrent views on immigration and transphobia. So it figures that she’s also horribly lateral ableist too. In a column in the i Paper Burchill wrote:

If you’re too anxious to work but go on holiday, you shouldn’t get PIP.

Siiiigh, same old bullshit. It doesn’t need pointing out (again!) that personal independence payments (PIP) isn’t an out-of-work benefit. The article actually barely mentions claimants going on holiday; it’s a throwaway comment. But that didn’t stop the editor from making it the most clickbait possible headline.

Thankfully, Burchill does correct herself on the employment fact in the piece, but she also adds:

Of course, you can work and still receive PIP – as I do – but I do think too many people are getting it when they could be supporting themselves.

Such as, for instance, a columnist who brags about squandering their wealth.

Punching down again

Burchill is of course, talking about people who she, and vast parts of the media, think don’t actually deserve PIP from the DWP – people with mental health conditions. This is just the latest in a long line of the government trying to de-legitimise people with mental health conditions, whilst planning to make it harder for those same people to claim PIP.

Burchill rightly points out how hard it is to get PIP, even if you have a very physically obvious disability. In her case, she’s a wheelchair user and can’t walk. She said it took her six months to be approved for PIP, however she also took the chance to shit on other disabled people:

I can’t help thinking that had I claimed the mental equivalent of a “bad back” – anxiety perhaps – I would have been awarded it a lot earlier

There’s more joys in life than work

Burchill’s ‘article’ is mostly a bizarre rant about how, if she’s worked nearly every day since becoming a wheelchair user, what’s stopping everyone else? Dunno babe, probably less understanding bosses and less flexibility because they’re not rich. Calling herself a ‘grafter’ not a ‘grifter’, she says:

I can’t think of anything worse for anyone’s mental health than not having a reason to get out of bed in the morning.

It’s really fucking sad that work is the only reason to get out of bed in the morning for many. My dog is my reason for getting out of bed. For some it’s simple joys like a good cup of coffee, their fave tv show to catch up on, or seeing friends. I love my job, but I’m also not some capitalist drone whose only joy is work.

The thing about the old ‘work is good for your mental health’ argument, though, is that it usually comes from people who are supported in their work. It doesn’t take into account just how soul-destroying and detrimental to your mental health an awful job with a horrible boss, can be.

Playing into the government’s hands

Instead of sympathising with this point, Burchill essentially implies that disabled people should be happy with any old menial job, whether or not it’s suited to their needs. Which, of course, fits the DWP’s narrative perfectly and helps them push disabled people into work

There’s also the point that apparently needs hammering home that PIP has fuck all to do with whether you can work or not. Because, despite stating this, she still spends the majority of the piece conflating anxiety with workshyness. Which, again, is something the government has done consistently.

Hilariously though, Burchill also thinks the government are on disabled people’s side here. She calls them ‘the chief sponsor of idleness’. It’s always those who think they’re sticking it to the establishment who are playing right into their hands.

The government and media are doing enough, we don’t need one of our own doing it too

At a time when the media and government are doing everything in their power to turn the public against people with mental health conditions, we don’t need one of our own on their side too. Though it’s made pretty clear that Burchill is one of those disabled people who thinks she will be spared from the hatred because she works hard and doesn’t complain:

During my year in a wheelchair, I’ve had to deal with all of these, alongside other emotions as varied as fear and fury; if I and other severely physically disabled people can learn to process these feelings, why can’t those with anxiety do the same

Let me tell you now, Julie, the hate mob doesn’t give a fuck if you’re on their side or not. They’ll come for us all in the end and won’t be happy until all disabled people are left to rot.

Deliberate choice to turn people against benefit claimants, again

Burchill’s piece was published alongside two others. The first by Carrie Grant who shares her own experience as a parent carer on how the SEND system failures feed into more people needing PIP. The second is by a former PIP assessor who points out how life-changing PIP can be for all claimants.

This could’ve and should’ve been an impactful and important series. However the i Paper couldn’t help themselves and had to ensure they included a hefty dose of the scrounger narrative too. There are so many campaigners who also claim PIP that they could’ve asked to write this.

This was a deliberate choice to de-legitimise mental health claimants. ‘Look, even REAL disabled people know they’re faking!” The fact that it’s a disabled person attacking other disabled people – and doing the DWP’s job for them – shows just how insidious the media narrative really is.

Featured image via the Canary