Financial support and job-seeking among people with fluctuating work capacity

There is a well-established association between unemployment and mental health issues, both in Sweden and internationally. At the same time, mental health issues is not a static condition but one that can change over time. This variability can be contrasted with modern welfare systems, which require established incapacity for work. This contrast can create barriers for people experiencing mental health issues, as their ability to work may change - changes that are not always considered by Swedish municipalities in the assessment of social assistance and by the Swedish Social Insurance Agency. These agencies can create work disability traps in which people with mental health issues risk having their financial support withdrawn if they attempt to return to work or engage in rehabilitation, as they may be reclassified from being sick listed to being jobseekers. These traps are problematic for individuals, as they risk exclusion from the labour market, while also having negative consequences for society by contributing to increased unemployment.

The aim of the project is to increase understanding of the significance of fluctuating work capacity for access to financial support among people with experience of mental health issues. This is based on the experiences of the target group themselves. In addition, the project has a methodological secondary aim: to increase knowledge about the limitations and opportunities associated with different data collection methods when collecting information from people with experience of mental health issues. The following research questions guide the project:

What significance does fluctuating work capacity have for eligibility for financial support? 

How do government agencies’ guidelines and administrative practices affect the opportunities and motivation of people experiencing mental health issues to seek employment? 

What limitations and opportunities are associated with different data collection methods when collecting information from people with experience of mental health issues?