92 per cent fear workplace mental health discrimination

Calls have been made for tighter discrimination legislation in the UK, after it was revealed that 92 per cent of the British public believed that admitting to having a mental health illness would damage someone’s career.

According to the Time To Change report, as such conditions become more common amid the recession people may find it more difficult to get jobs if they admitted their mental illness in a job interview.

Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson for Time To Change said: “The implication of not being honest is that once the company finds out that you need time off due to ill health, they may not look favourably on your position. Some will offer support, others may not.”

He added that Britons affected by mental illness felt they were unable to get involved in many “normal” activities through fear of discrimination.

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The government recently unveiled its first ever National Strategy for Mental Health and Employment.

Support for such workers is set to be improved as part of the project.