Former health secretary Sir Jeremy Hunt fears society is ‘over medicalising’ the impact of normal traumatic events – and warned against signing people off work with anxiety and depression.
The Tory grandee, who held the role between 2012 and 2018, spoke out as the Government has faced stiff opposition from its own MPs against welfare reforms.
People with mental health conditions are believed to account for around half of the rise in working age adults claiming disability benefits in England and Wales since the pandemic, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
The number of working-age adults in England and Wales paid disability benefits rose by nearly 1million people to 2.9million between 2019 and 2024, with 7.5 per cent of 16- to 64-year-olds claiming.
In a report in March, the Institute for Fiscal Studies calculated that about 500,000 of the rise is from mental health claimants.
Sir Jeremy said that ‘in some ways it’s rather positive’ that people talk openly about mental health issues.
But he said: ‘I do worry we are sometimes over-medicalising it. Everyone has trauma – bereavements, sometimes losing their jobs. That is not the same as mental illness.
‘I think it’s immoral we are signing off 3,000 people a day saying they don’t have to look for work.
Former health secretary Sir Jeremy Hunt (pictured) fears society is ‘over medicalising’ the impact of normal traumatic events – and warned against signing people off work with anxiety and depression
People with mental health conditions are believed to account for around half of the rise in working age adults claiming disability benefits in England and Wales since the pandemic, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (file image)
‘The majority of those have anxiety and depression and the one thing they need is social contact. If you sign them out of the world of work, their anxiety is going to get worse rather than better.’
Sir Jeremy, speaking at the Buxton Literary Festival, Derbyshire, said the focus should be on supporting people with anxiety or depression so they can continue to work and lead their lives.
The Tory MP, most recently Chancellor under Rishi Sunak and who narrowly held onto his seat by 819 votes at last year’s General Election, added: ‘What we should be doing is increasing mental health provision on the NHS.
‘For that individual, it’s far better but it’s also better for Rachel Reeves when she’s trying to make the numbers add up for her budget.’
During the talk, Sir Jeremy backed current Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, saying his beleaguered party should not undergo another leadership change to improve its fortunes.
He said: ‘I don’t think anyone else would have done much better. We’ve had four leaders in four years. If changing leader was the answer, we’d be doing much better in the polls than we are doing.
‘We had the worst defeat in our history a year ago and it’s going to take time for the country to give us a hearing again.’
He urged Ms Badenoch to ‘move on from contrition’ to ‘offering solutions’ to Britain’s problems.
Sir Jeremy, speaking at the Buxton Literary Festival, Derbyshire, backed current Tory leader Kemi Badenoch (pictured), saying his beleaguered party should not undergo another leadership change to improve its fortunes
Sir Jeremy said: ‘There’s a football pitch-sized hole in politics for a party offering solutions. Labour is ducking decisions; Reform is not credible.
‘I hope she [Kemi] turns things around but I recognise there’s still a lot to do.’
The MP, who represents Godalming and Ash, Surrey, ruled himself out of a return to frontline politics any time soon.
He said: ‘I made it clear to Kemi that I didn’t wish to serve [in a front bench post in opposition] but if she wanted to bring me back before an election and if it would help, I would be around.’
Jokingly, Sir Jeremy revealed being photographed more often with his pet labrador Poppy may have improved his poll ratings.
The pet was pictured with the MP, his wife Lucia and their three children as they left 11 Downing Street for the final time following last July’s election defeat.
He said: ‘Someone tweeted ‘God, he’s got a labrador, can I change the way I voted?’. That’s the British public!’
