Farage sparks livid backlash after claiming youngsters with particular instructional wants are ‘over diagnosed’ | EUROtoday

Charities have been condemned Nigel Farage over “wildly inaccurate” claims about individuals with psychological well being issues and kids with particular instructional wants (SEND).

The National Autistic Society (NAS) led the criticism of Reform UK’s chief after he claimed in a rant on psychological well being issues that GPs are “over diagnosing” situations.

Speaking at a press convention in Dover, Mr Farage stated: “It’s a massive problem. I have to say, for my own money, when you get to 18 and you put somebody on a disability register, unemployed, with a high level of benefits, you’re telling people aged 18 that they’re victims.”

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“And if you are told you’re a victim, and you think you’re a victim, you are likely to stay [a victim].”

He questioned the way in which situations are being recognized specifically taking intention at youngsters with particular instructional wants.

Mr Farage: “So many of these diagnoses, for SEND before 18, for disability register after 18 – so many of these have been conducted on Zoom, with the family GP.”

“I think you’re the family GP, and I’ve known your family for generations, and you’re saying to me there’s a real problem here with depression, or whatever it may be, it’s quite hard for me as your GP to say ‘no’.

“I don’t think any of these allocations should be done by family GPs. I think it should be done independently.

“And I think we are massively – I’m not being heartless, I’m being frank – I think we are massively over diagnosing those with mental illness problems and those with other general behavioural disabilities. And I think we’re creating a class of victims in Britain that will struggle ever to get out of it.”

The National Autistic Society was fast to assault Mr Farage’s feedback accusing him of “spreading disinformation” and “perpetuating stigmas”.

In a press release on X, the charity stated: “Nigel Farage’s comments are wildly inaccurate and show that he’s completely out of touch with what autistic children and adults have to go through to get a diagnosis or any support at all.

“For the record, absolutely no one has got an autism diagnosis through the GP – this is just incorrect, wrong, fake news. Children with SEND and disabled adults, including autistic people, are not victims who are being ‘over diagnosed’. They are people who face huge delays and long fights to get the most basic support across every aspect of their lives, including diagnosis, education, health and social care.

“Spreading misinformation only perpetuates stigma and makes life harder. We’re calling on all politicians to drop the political point scoring and stand up for their autistic and other disabled constituents.”

Minesh Patel, affiliate director of coverage and campaigns on the psychological well being charity Mind, stated: “The only victims in this discussion are facts – which are continuously overlooked in favour of fuelling culture wars.

“We agree that disabled people, people on benefits and those out of work are more likely to struggle with their mental health. And evidence shows three quarters of all mental health problems are established by the age of 24.

“But instead of asking what is driving this, our politicians choose to demonise those who are struggling most in our society.”

He added: “We will not solve the mental health crisis by stigmatising people who are already suffering.”

Labour MP Peter Swallow said: “Whether it’s [Tory leader] Kemi Badenoch saying that a SEND diagnosis is just a route to special treatment, or nonsense like this from Farage – it’s clear that Reform and the Tories both lack the compassion and basic understanding needed to tackle the SEND crisis.”

And Munira Wilson MP, Liberal Democrat schooling spokesperson, added: “Farage is clearly laying the groundwork to axe essential particular wants provision in councils he’s obtained his eye on – communities the place households and weak younger individuals are already ready years to entry threadbare particular wants funds and particular colleges bursting on the seams.

“If Nigel Farage had spent any time talking to oldsters in his constituency, he’d know he’s barking up the fallacious tree. The particular wants disaster wants pressing restore – not his lazy rhetoric. We want a National Body for SEND to finish the particular wants postcode lottery now.”