Financial News
- 6 November 2012, 16:05
Sickness Benefit Crackdown In £25m Trial
Sickness benefit will be stripped from claimants who refuse to get treatment for their problems under a crackdown to be tested in a £25 million Government trial.
Ministers want to extend the concept of "conditionality" used to force the jobless to seek work to welfare payments for those with health complaints as well.
A series of pilots around the country for what is being touted as a "tough love" approach by Downing Street sources will be announced before Christmas.
Chancellor George Osborne is seeking ways to slash a further £10 billion from the welfare budget by 2016/17 on top of £18 billion of cuts already announced.
Under the proposals, claimants would be expected to attend regular sessions with a health care professional who could require them to attend therapy and other treatments to help them recover.
It is unclear exactly what conditions would be caught but No. 10 suggested drug and alcohol addicts who failed to attend rehab courses would be among them in the initial trials.
Funding for the pilots has been agreed, they said.
"This is a tough love approach towards our aim of ending the something for nothing culture in benefits," a Government source said.
"It's right that we provide support for people in need, but we should also expect something back in return. We are already helping people back into work through unemployment benefit conditionality.
"Now we are looking at transferring that principle to sickness benefits, so that for those people who are sick but able to take practical steps to improve their health, the benefits system encourages them to get better."
what do you think?
Glynne Powell
The way they try to 'sell' these cuts by claiming they care is incredible. Make no mistake - the government does not care. I'm not commenting on the cuts but don't insult our intelligence with this "tough love" stuff.
Windows Live User
Well said Glynne They couldnt give a jot as long as they can force people into the marketplace despite their condition. We had a lady on tv around last year wheelchair bound with a lot of other ailments yet she had been ordered back to work or no disablement payment. As soon as her condition was aired on tv there was a total about face. A prime example of our caring DWP and the evil man ruling IAN DUNCAN SMITH Money can be saved undoubtedly but it should be done correctly and with care
simon calvert
of course they care....about their own billionaire buddies hoarding all the cash for themselves...thats why they use these diversions to appeal to the minds they have already manipulated,the gullable clones they seek to enslave.
Debra Wiseman
Where are the jobs at the end of this?
simon calvert
Exactly...they say there are 500,000 jobs...200,00000 unemployed...now let's add on those that are too proud to take benefit and are living off savings and dust..add on also the many kept by families refused any benefit because they have had to move home...add on to that the many illegal immigrants not registered...should take us to at least 3 million so that's a shortfall of 2.5million jobs to people ratio....yet they want to cut all these benefits...admittedly some people abuse the system, however it is only a few rotten apples spilling the barrel and they could easily have been dealt with under the present system....easy mind manipulation by the powers that be.
Windows Live User
My near neighbour suffers MS but claims nothing! Lives off savings. This situation cant last forever so will the Government "care" when his money is gone or simply order him back to work as he has no history of claiming for his condition?
ken w
the immigrants are doing them, get rid.
Annette Oakes
pound shops and macdonalds
john
If Costa coffee can pay their full tax in this country why can't Starbucks,Amazon etc, etc, do the same? Why is everyone punching down at the little people while the corporate giants evade paying billions in tax? Could it be because the lawmakers, the politicians are being richly rewarded for favours done by the tax dodgers, does anyone know of any rational explanation why they allow billions in tax revenues to go uncollected?
simon calvert
Because they are all in their pockets, they are really just big businesses washing dirty cash.
ken w
why anybody pays £3 or £4 or what ever it is for a cup of coffee must be mad why not just use an ordinary cafe and save 75% of the cost or just wait till you get home?
Roger Siviter
In one word.............. CORRUPTION!
simon calvert
This government and our whole capitalist system really is the pits.....wake up people the rich are getting richer and richer and more powerful turning us on one another to blindside us from the real issues like illegal wars, arms peddling, tax cuts for the mega rich, corporate ruling, we are all becoming slaves to the elite...little by little they eat away at your heart and soul taking away from you your own judgement and freedom to express yourself so they can drive you in which ever direction they see fit to keep you obedient, on low wages feeling grateful for the pittance they pay you while they languish in mansions all over the world laughing all the way to the bank which supports the mega rich only.... Wake up England this is just another media stunt and diversion there is far more money at the top which should be shared around but the greedy warmongers want it all for themselves... Ah hhhhh...that feels better.
Windows Live User
I dont mind people getting rich. Clever people, but I do object to being flogged over the back whilst this takes place. I pay my full tax and ni etc so should everyone else, but then it mustnt be given away to foreign lands and Belgium while Britain has its own problems.
joelle cooke
well said simon calvert! we got more Brits on the Dole,and this is already the third generation! never mind people from abroad,they are actually very hard working,and pretty handsome
blue side
The statement about jobs goes without saying however there are a large number claiming sickness who are playing the system however the danger is that genuine claimants will be treated as statistic and denied - remember the case of the ex-serviceman who had lost his legs and was told he was not entitled to disability cause he had walked a few yards.
ken w
we need to end foreign aid, end immigration, crack down on gypsys who dont pay tax, round up all the illegals and deport them and hopefully get out of the eu, therefore ending the billions paid to them to spend on corruption, and yes crack down on skivers. a large part of the money saved could be spent on government projects, ie. coastal erosion, flood defences, energy production, policing, healthcare, the aged,education and defence, it would also help to get the unemployed back into work, bringing in more tax revenue and cutting benefit payments.
Windows Live User
Dont forget to collect the large companies corporation taxes on the way. That will give us a lot of billions in the coffers. Stop the govermental fiddles at all levels - should give a tad more. A block on the directors 27% pay increase this year - tax hard on those type of increases -bonus packets - a few more bob in the coffers. Banks to pay back the bail outs with large interest fees. Big fines for the fiddling banks - Start to spend on builds to move the economy along I can see us austerity plans free and no deficit with jobs beginning to appear.
Grant Berry
About time too !
hollywoodbowden
There's no point working anyway with living cost I went on the dole got my rent paid the lot working is for mugs
bjnk
Having worked and paid my due's for 45 years and have always supported a benefit system for times when people are sick or disabled, and when like now governments have let the people down with no jobs available. Your ether a troll or an MP or just one of the few that are giving genuine claiments a bad name. Whichever one you are I cannot support your comment, and i'm a socialist. and for those who dont know or listen thats not labour, new labour or liebour.
stewgwyn
I've got to go withbjnk on this one, I've also done the hard 45 with only 7 weeks out in that time. ''I went on the dole'' !! How bloody irresponsible !! And we ''mugs'' are keeping you ! People like you make me sick.
simon williams
there be riots again the way this goverment is going.
Phil A
The £25m would be better spent prosecuting fiddling MPs. Anyone holding their breaht? Me neither - more chance of winning the lottery.
Raymond Castle
Hold on a minute.....Duncan-Smith wants to cut another 10 billion but is spending an extra 25 million in order to do it. Crazy!
t.bulgin
Therby saving 9billion 975 million. So, what crazy exactly ? (just asking, not saying he can do it, or that its right)
Grant Berry
ray a billion is a lot more than a million duh !
Robinson56Chris
How come you two Tories haven't tried to defend Nadine Dorries? You're both conspicuous by your absence.
Michael Hawkins
Better maths than labour who spent £600 million to save £47 million in the DOT Socialist maths
Peter Edwardson
Needs doing. Just get on with it.
Michael Hawkins
Sick benefit and those claiming has substantially increased over the last 10-15 it pays £10 a week more the unemployment benefit and you do not have to seek work And if you are off sick as an alcoholic you need the extra for the cheap cider
gypsy56
Yes but as an alcoholic or a druggie you should not be listed as disabled -your not! It's self inflicted and easy to solve STOP USING IT! I speak as an ex-alky and drug user! If I stopped YOU CAN it's simple!
SagePhotoWorld
6:37am on 6/11/2012
Force them to seek what? Where are these mythical jobs?
ken w
10:34am on 6/11/2012
the jobs immigrants do.