CW: Ableism
Public attitudes toward disability are largely shaped by a mix of empathy, suspicion, and cultural storytelling. The newest British Social Attitudes survey shows nearly half of people supporting higher disability benefits, even if taxes rise to fund them. That quiet support matters, but it exists alongside louder narratives that divide disabled people into categories of “real” and “not real enough.” These narratives don’t just shape how people talk about disability; they shape how disabled people are judged, questioned, and treated.
Julie Burchill’s recent column is one example of how public attitudes get misconstrued. She is a wheelchair user who receives the enhanced form of Personal Independence Payment, or PIP. However, she believes that people with certain conditions don’t deserve PIP.
Poppy Coburn’s piece in The Telegraph adds another layer by suggesting disability has become “cool” in certain online spaces. But framing disability as a trend trivializes severe conditions. While some people might be faking illnesses, far more are dealing with disabilities or chronic illnesses. It’s another version of the same hierarchy, where pain becomes something to compare, judge, and sort.
These narratives are part of a culture where relying on benefits already carries heavy stigma. Disabled people often describe the shame that comes with being seen as dependent, the comments about taxpayers, and the quiet fear that neighbors or relatives might think they’re exaggerating. When people divide disability into “real” and “fake,” that stigma deepens. Benefits become not just financial support but a means of judgment.
And this doesn’t just happen in the United Kingdom. Dr. Mehmet Oz shows how similar attitudes shape policy in the United States. Earlier this year, Oz stated: “The average person on Medicaid, who’s able-bodied, watches 6.1 hours of television or just hangs out every day. That’s not why God put you here.”
Most people who are on Medicaid are working. As of 2023, KFF, which was formerly known as the Kaiser Family Foundation, found that 44% of Medicaid enrollees under age 65 worked full-time. In addition, 20% of enrollees worked part-time.
Only 8% were unemployed due to retirement, inability to find work, or other reasons. 10% were unemployed because of illness or disability. 12% were unemployed due to caregiving responsibilities, and 7% because they were in school.
I have cerebral palsy and rely on Medicaid. Without Medicaid, I wouldn’t have access to the PCA (personal care assistant) services I need to live in my community. Medicaid allows people like me to live our lives.
Public attitudes matter because they shape policy, culture, and the daily lives of disabled people. And when those attitudes are influenced by categorizing suffering, nobody wins. Everyone should have access to the help they need.
Sources:
Burchill, Julie. “I Deserve Every Penny of My PIP – Most People Don’t.” iNews, 20 Aug. 2026, https://inews.co.uk/opinion/i-deserve-every-penny-pip-most-people-dont-4714030.
Coburn, Poppy. “How Having a Disability Became Cool.” The Telegraph, 5 Sept. 2026, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09/05/disability-became-cool/.
Chidambaram, Priya, and Alice Burns. “How Many People Use Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports and How Much Does Medicaid Spend on Those People?” KFF, KFF, 14 Dec. 2023, http://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/how-many-people-use-medicaid-long-term-services-and-supports-and-how-much-does-medicaid-spend-on-those-people/.
Fry, Erika. “Dr. Oz’s Medicaid Remarks Stir Debate on Work Requirements and Health.” Rolling Stone, Penske Media Corporation, 11 Mar. 2025, https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/dr-oz-medicaid-americans-healthy-1235385089.
O’Connell-Domenech, Alejandra. “Dr. Oz on Medicaid Cuts: People Should ‘Prove That You Matter.’” The Hill, 5 June 2025, https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5334508-dr-oz-medicaid-cuts-work-requirements/.
Ubiera, Cheyenne. “Dr. Oz Slammed for Claiming Medicaid Recipients ‘Able-Bodied’ Watching 6 Hours of TV a Day.” The Mirror US, 8 June 2026, https://www.themirror.com/news/politics/dr-oz-medicaid-work-requirements-1877764.amp.