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

Some individuals 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 couple of Division of Work and Pensions survey that instructed 200,000 individuals on advantages had been able to work if they’d assist.

The DWP report discovered 49% of well being and incapacity advantages claimants felt they might by no means be capable to work once more.

But it surely 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 informed 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 the moment on illness or incapacity advantages need to work.”

When requested if individuals on advantages had been “pretending they cannot work”, she added: “Lots 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 underneath management.

“So I feel that there are lots of extra individuals who need to work. I’ve little doubt, as there all the time 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 individuals 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 accordance with the DWP.

As of January, 9.3 million individuals aged 16 to 64 within the UK had 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% enhance from the yr earlier than the pandemic. That determine is forecast to extend to round £100bn earlier than the following common 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 individuals to work if they will.

The DWP secretary mentioned: “There’s genuinely an issue with many younger individuals, significantly the Covid technology, however we will not have a scenario the place doing a day’s work is in itself seen as disturbing.”

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

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

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

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

“The fundamental proposition that you must search for work is correct,” he informed the BBC final yr.

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

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