A says, “I’m a carer for someone with moderate to severe mental health problems. A few years back, they were doing quite well, and my returning to work was a possibility. Then there was a crisis, and I reluctantly closed my business in order to care full-time. After a while, we were doing pretty well again; the psychotic episode had passed. Then came the Employment and Support Allowance debacle. The person I care for took it really badly and suffered something of a personality collapse. The dread every day of a brown envelope coming through the door crushed them. They will not now partake of any hobby, will not leave the house, except for a once-a-week shopping trip and medical appointments, will not answer the phone or the door (because it might be ‘them’). This has put a huge strain on me. All we need is to be left alone, together with the doctors, to try and move forward. All we get from the DWP is constant fear. We keep a supply of appropriate tablets for that inevitable day when the brown envelope does turn up. Neither of us can face the prospect of what would happen if we couldn’t afford to get to the chemists to pick up the prescription.”