As psychologists in the north-east of England, we are encouraged to hear that Jobcentre Plus in Newcastle “try to treat people as individuals” and we extend an invitation to Steve McCall to discuss the impact of social policies (‘I hope people don’t think I, Daniel Blake is a documentary’: Loach fails to represent reality, says jobcentre boss, 11 February). The film unfortunately does “represent the reality” of many people we have met who struggle with an ill system.

People with mental health difficulties, for example, already feel excluded from society and struggle to connect with others and the world around them. Cuts to income through benefit sanctions do not help people to recover but rob them of dignity, power and the ability to keep themselves warm and fed. To address a growing mental health crisis, we must together challenge the system that harms so many people like Daniel Blake.

Dr Nick Hartley, Jan Bostock, Alisdair Cameron ReCoCo, Dr Sammy Man, Louise Thomson, Dr Nancy Vanderpuye, Lauren Mawn, Dr Lois Arkley, Dr Anna Luce, Professor Alison Stenning

Psychologists Against Austerity North East

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