Some on advantages are ‘taking the mickey’, says minister

Some folks on advantages are “taking the mickey”, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has mentioned, as the federal government seeks methods to curb welfare spending.

Kendall was chatting with ITV a few Division of Work and Pensions survey that prompt 200,000 folks on advantages have been able to work if they’d assist.

The DWP report discovered 49% of well being and incapacity advantages claimants felt they’d by no means have the ability to work once more.

However it additionally confirmed almost half (44%) of individuals with a psychological well being situation anticipated to have the ability to work in future if their well being improved.

Kendall advised ITV: “I feel what the survey exhibits in the present day is that regardless of all of the myths, lots of people who’re at present on illness or incapacity advantages need to work.”

When requested if folks on advantages have been “pretending they can not work”, she added: “A lot of them have both simply misplaced jobs that they desperately miss, or actually need to get again into to work as soon as they have their well being situation beneath management.

“So I feel that there are a lot of extra individuals who need to work. I’ve little question, as there at all times have been, there are individuals who should not be on these advantages who’re taking the mickey and that’s not ok – we now have to finish that.”

The federal government says the variety of younger folks aged 16 to 34 who don’t work due to long-term illness and have a psychological well being situation has reached 270,000.

This quantity elevated by 60,000 (26%) within the final yr, in keeping with the DWP.

As of January, 9.3 million folks aged 16 to 64 within the UK have been economically inactive – an increase of 713,000 for the reason that Covid pandemic.

Final yr, the federal government spent £65bn on illness advantages – a 25% improve from the yr earlier than the pandemic. That determine is forecast to extend to round £100bn earlier than the following normal election.

Kendall mentioned the DWP survey, which spoke to three,401 profit recipients, confirmed the necessity to reform the present welfare system and encourage younger folks to work if they’ll.

The DWP secretary mentioned: “There may be genuinely an issue with many younger folks, significantly the Covid era, however we will not have a state of affairs the place doing a day’s work is in itself seen as aggravating.”

Kendall mentioned grocery store managers had advised her some younger folks didn’t perceive work was “simply the character of life and that is not stress or stress”.

The DWP secretary is predicted to current a coverage paper on welfare reform subsequent month.

Ministers are anxious in regards to the surge within the variety of folks claiming advantages for the reason that pandemic and the fee to the taxpayer, because the nation faces difficult financial headwinds.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has mentioned individuals who declare long-term illness advantages ought to be made to return to work “the place they’ll”.

“The essential proposition that you must search for work is correct,” he advised the RAYNAE final yr.

“Individuals must search for work, however additionally they want assist.

“That is why I’ve gone out to have a look at schemes the place companies are supporting folks again into work from long-term illness.”