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900,000 choose to come off sickness benefit ahead of UK tests
Telegraph (UK) ^ | 9:00PM GMT 30 Mar 2013 | By Patrick Hennessy

Posted on 03/31/2013 12:31:32 PM PDT by DeaconBenjamin

Nearly 900,000 people on incapacity benefit dropped their claim to the payments rather than undergo a tough medical test, latest government figures show.

The 878,300 who decided not to have an official assessment of whether they were fit for work was more than a third of the total number of people claiming sickness-related benefits.

The statistics also revealed that some claimants cited conditions such as “blisters”, “sprains and strains” and “acne” as preventing them from having a job.

More than 46,120 people claimed incapacity benefit because of “behavioural disorders due to the use of alcohol” while 29,130 claimants cited drug use.

Ministers said the figures showed the full extent of how millions had been “trapped on welfare” for decades.

Grant Shapps, the Conservative Party chairman, said the old system was “evil” and accused Labour of using sickness benefits to “hide the unemployed” when the party was in power.

The statistics emerged ahead of a raft of controversial changes to the benefits system which will come into force this week. An overall benefits “cap”, which will prevent any household receiving more than £26,000 a year in total benefit payments - a figure set to reflect the average gross salary of a full-time worker.

Labour say the average household will be £891 worse off in 2013-14 because of tax and benefits changes.

Iain Duncan Smith, the Work and Pensions Secretary, has faced criticism after scaling back a pilot scheme for his flagship universal credit - which will merge dozens of different out-of-work benefits into a single payment with the aim of ensuring an individual is always better off in work than on benefit.

Instead of being tested in four job centres, the new system will only be piloted in one from this week amid claims the new scheme is in chaos.

(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government
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1 posted on 03/31/2013 12:31:32 PM PDT by DeaconBenjamin
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To: DeaconBenjamin

ROTFL! Socialism. Ya gotta love it. Another fraud scheme perpetrated on the taxpayers by freeloaders.


2 posted on 03/31/2013 12:33:43 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (Barry gave the Republicans a free lunch. All the taxpayers got was a lousy tax increase.)
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To: DeaconBenjamin

Sounds like something desperately needed in the USA. I would not be the least bit surprised if 15 to 20 percent of those collecting disability benefits are scams.


3 posted on 03/31/2013 12:34:58 PM PDT by Fzob (In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. Jefferson)
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To: DeaconBenjamin

Good for the Brits! Will we have the good sense to do the same? (Right!)


4 posted on 03/31/2013 12:36:48 PM PDT by smoothsailing
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To: Fzob

Here in the U.S., Can we lock up the lawyers complicit in this American fraud?


5 posted on 03/31/2013 12:38:16 PM PDT by George from New England (escaped CT in 2006, now living north of Tampa)
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To: DeaconBenjamin

It’s a miracle!


6 posted on 03/31/2013 12:38:38 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper (Happy Blessed Easter, All FReepers!)
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To: Fzob
I would not be the least bit surprised if 15 to 20 percent of those collecting disability benefits are scams.

I think you're low-balling. It's probably closer to 90%+.

7 posted on 03/31/2013 12:38:43 PM PDT by smoothsailing
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To: DeaconBenjamin; fellowpatriot; MarineMom613; Ron C.; wolfman23601; ColdOne; navymom1; Pat4ever; ...
+

Freep-mail me to get on or off my pro-life and Catholic List:

Add me / Remove me

Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of general interest.

8 posted on 03/31/2013 12:39:07 PM PDT by narses
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To: Fzob
bingo... and the Doc's that assisted them in their fraud should have their ticket punched from practicing medicine ever again unless and until they pay back every penny the US Taxpayers got scammed out of!!!
9 posted on 03/31/2013 12:39:37 PM PDT by Chode (Stand UP and Be Counted, or line up and be numbered - *DTOM* -ww- NO Pity for the LAZY)
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To: George from New England
Here in the U.S., Can we lock up the lawyers complicit in this American fraud?

Good question. I suppose it's possible but highly unlikely.

10 posted on 03/31/2013 12:44:12 PM PDT by Fzob (In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. Jefferson)
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To: DeaconBenjamin

TESTS??! We would NEVER impose on people for such a thing in the USA! They have rights! We should just trust them. If they say there are disabled, then that is the end of it. We just pay them to be alive until they die. We OWE it to them.

/s /large


11 posted on 03/31/2013 12:47:13 PM PDT by Right Wing Assault (Dick Obama is more inexperienced now than he was before he was elected.)
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To: DeaconBenjamin

It’s worse than the 878k number would indicate

878,300 dropped their claims

837,000 were found fit to work

367,300 were fit for some amount of work

232,000 (just 1 in 8) were found to be unable to work


12 posted on 03/31/2013 12:49:19 PM PDT by Bob
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To: Fzob

> would not be the least bit surprised if 15 to 20 percent of those collecting disability benefits are scams

If my personal observations are any indication, it’s more like 60%-80% disability fraud. Lazy schmucks stealing from us that work for a living.


13 posted on 03/31/2013 12:52:08 PM PDT by soycd
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To: smoothsailing

They’re doing the opposite over her, encouraging unemployed to go on disability.


14 posted on 03/31/2013 12:53:08 PM PDT by Rusty0604
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To: DeaconBenjamin

GEE! That sure cured them a lot better and faster than the communist style health care UK has!

(we get articles from UK almost daily about patients dropping dead in hospital due to starvation or failure to provide care... also extremely lengthy waiting periods to see medical personnel or receive certain important treatments or surgeries)

hopefully all those articles are wrong, or exaggerations, but.... this new approach has cured nearly a million disabled people almost instantly.... (an amazing MIRACLE appropriate to this Easter/Passover season)...

Congratulations, United Kingdom!


15 posted on 03/31/2013 12:53:24 PM PDT by faithhopecharity (()
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To: DeaconBenjamin

OMG!!! BLOODSUCKERS!! Just like we have here!!


16 posted on 03/31/2013 12:56:09 PM PDT by Ann Archy (Abortion.....the HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: Fzob

MILLIONS are collecting disability and most are RECENT! It’s probably 60% are FRAUDS!


17 posted on 03/31/2013 12:57:17 PM PDT by Ann Archy (Abortion.....the HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: DeaconBenjamin

It’s a MIRACLE....Just like Billy Ray Valentine being able to WALK!!!


18 posted on 03/31/2013 12:58:22 PM PDT by Ann Archy (Abortion.....the HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: Rusty0604
It's high time we tested our own deadbeats instead of coddling them.

Let's have a Miracle Cure right here in the USA!!!


19 posted on 03/31/2013 1:01:13 PM PDT by smoothsailing
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To: Fzob

” I would not be the least bit surprised if 15 to 20 percent of those collecting disability benefits are scams.”

In this country is likely is at least 50% scamming the system. And Nobama loves it...helps keep unemployment numbers unrealistically low.


20 posted on 03/31/2013 1:02:46 PM PDT by GGpaX4DumpedTea (I am a Tea Party descendant...steeped in the Constitutional Republic given to us by the Founders.)
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