Saving money PIPs were introduced to save the Government money and that is why the criteria for claiming them have been tightened up, or at least compared to those for DLA.

Many other instances exist of reductions in Government spending, for example a proposed levy on larger charities to fund the £21 millions per year operations of the Charity Commission from Liverpool.

People on disability benefits have on average far higher disposable money available than ordinary workers since they tend to pay no rent nor travelling costs and they generally also benefit from reduced council tax.

Some people are sadly still paid by the Government to waste their lives imbibing drink and drugs.

The idea of ex patients assessing other ex patients for receipt or otherwise of disability payments is clearly bonkers.

But I agree that many assessments by the relevant Government appointed agency are flawed and often overturned on appeal possibly after a year of unnecessary suffering for the individual concerned.

The will of Parliament remains that those capable of work should work and those not capable be appropriately supported.

Now that the oppressive regime under IDS is gone the Department of Work and Pensions needs to put its house in order and implement correctly the will of Parliament.

In Southampton also we need more peer support or mental health social clubs for ex patients to aid recovery. The local City Commissioner, Amanda Luker, has this aspect in hand.

We already have Frances Heather’s “Creative Options” group which is seeking a new Coordinator on Frances’ retirement; the St Denys Activity Group launched in presence of The Mayor and Dr Alan Whitehead on March 19, and Weston will have a mental health social group from June. There are likely to be three others across Southampton City.

It’s a cost effective and therapeutic fun way to treat and prevent mental illness and ex patients and local businesses should support their local groups.

We are getting there!

Tom Doak, Southampton