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| Tories plan benefit numbers cut | Tories plan benefit numbers cut |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The Conservatives have promised to cut the number of incapacity benefit claimants in Britain by 200,000. | The Conservatives have promised to cut the number of incapacity benefit claimants in Britain by 200,000. |
| Tory leader David Cameron said too many people were able to work, but did not. | Tory leader David Cameron said too many people were able to work, but did not. |
| The party is pledging to bring in more regular tests for people claiming the benefit - which costs the taxpayer £12.5bn every year. | The party is pledging to bring in more regular tests for people claiming the benefit - which costs the taxpayer £12.5bn every year. |
| Some disability groups have criticised the plans, saying that levels of fraud are low. Labour say the Tories have copied their ideas. | Some disability groups have criticised the plans, saying that levels of fraud are low. Labour say the Tories have copied their ideas. |
| Under the Conservative plans, to be announced in full on Tuesday, all existing and new Incapacity Benefit (IB) claimants would have to attend an "in-depth assessment" to evaluate their needs and capabilities and decide if they are able to work. | Under the Conservative plans, to be announced in full on Tuesday, all existing and new Incapacity Benefit (IB) claimants would have to attend an "in-depth assessment" to evaluate their needs and capabilities and decide if they are able to work. |
| The Tories have no credible plan to fund an expansion in 'welfare to work' Peter HainWork and Pensions Secretary | |
| Those deemed fit to work would be taken off IB and put onto Jobseekers' Allowance. | Those deemed fit to work would be taken off IB and put onto Jobseekers' Allowance. |
| This would mean a £20-a-week cut in benefits and a requirement to seek work immediately. | This would mean a £20-a-week cut in benefits and a requirement to seek work immediately. |
| The Tories are promising that those who have the "potential" to be able to work would be referred to specialised welfare-to-work providers who would help them prepare them for jobs and would be paid by results. | The Tories are promising that those who have the "potential" to be able to work would be referred to specialised welfare-to-work providers who would help them prepare them for jobs and would be paid by results. |
| People with permanent disabilities which make it impossible to work would continue to receive "unconditional" support, but those with non-permanent conditions would be subject to regular checks. | People with permanent disabilities which make it impossible to work would continue to receive "unconditional" support, but those with non-permanent conditions would be subject to regular checks. |
| Writing in the News of the World, Mr Cameron said he was particularly shocked by the rising number of younger IB claimants. | Writing in the News of the World, Mr Cameron said he was particularly shocked by the rising number of younger IB claimants. |
| 'Culture of despair' | |
| An estimated 500,000 people are now claiming IB, while claims from under-25s have risen by more than half over the last 10 years. | An estimated 500,000 people are now claiming IB, while claims from under-25s have risen by more than half over the last 10 years. |
| INCAPACITY FIGURES 2.64m people claim IBIt costs the country £12.65bn every yearMore than half of IB claimants have been on benefit for 5 years or moreThe number of young people claiming IB is up by a half | INCAPACITY FIGURES 2.64m people claim IBIt costs the country £12.65bn every yearMore than half of IB claimants have been on benefit for 5 years or moreThe number of young people claiming IB is up by a half |
| Mr Cameron said: "I don't believe that there are nearly half a million young people in Britain with a disability which prevents them from doing any work at all. | Mr Cameron said: "I don't believe that there are nearly half a million young people in Britain with a disability which prevents them from doing any work at all. |
| "What we have is a culture of despair, where kids grow up without any idea that for our society to function everyone has to pull their weight if they can." | "What we have is a culture of despair, where kids grow up without any idea that for our society to function everyone has to pull their weight if they can." |
| Speaking on the BBC's Sunday AM show the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, said: government's own proposals were "far more revolutionary" than those put forward by the Conservatives. | |
| He said: "Today the issue is people don't have the skills, even when there are 600,000 vacancies in the economy." | |
| Mr Brown also said: "The next stage is not what the Conservatives are talking about but giving people the skills to get into work." | |
| Work and Pensions Secretary Peter Hain accused the Tories of copying the government's ideas. | |
| He said: "They are plagiarising plans already announced by us before Christmas and seeking to present them as their own. | |
| "The Tories have no credible plan to fund an expansion in 'welfare to work'. | |
| Benefit fraud | Benefit fraud |
| The Conservatives are the latest party to focus on the large number of IB claimants, estimated to have nearly quadrupled since the 1970's. | The Conservatives are the latest party to focus on the large number of IB claimants, estimated to have nearly quadrupled since the 1970's. |
| The idea that you can test everybody and unceremoniously dump people onto the Jobseekers Allowance is short-sighted to say the least Sue Christoforou, Mind | |
| The figure has fallen slightly over recent years to about 2.6m people - but experts are still puzzled at the overall trend, given the UK's rising health and living standards. | The figure has fallen slightly over recent years to about 2.6m people - but experts are still puzzled at the overall trend, given the UK's rising health and living standards. |
| There have also been a number of high-profile cases of apparently healthy people fraudulently claiming the benefit, while secretly holding down physically demanding jobs. | There have also been a number of high-profile cases of apparently healthy people fraudulently claiming the benefit, while secretly holding down physically demanding jobs. |
| The government has already pledged to introduce tougher tests for those claiming IB from this autumn. It says it expects to cut the number of claimants by 20,000 each year. | The government has already pledged to introduce tougher tests for those claiming IB from this autumn. It says it expects to cut the number of claimants by 20,000 each year. |
| But the tests will initially apply only to new claimants, while the Conservatives say they are determined to make all claimants - including existing ones - prove they qualify for the £81-a-week benefit. | But the tests will initially apply only to new claimants, while the Conservatives say they are determined to make all claimants - including existing ones - prove they qualify for the £81-a-week benefit. |
| About 40% of those claiming IB do so for mental health reasons. | About 40% of those claiming IB do so for mental health reasons. |
| Sue Christoforou of the mental health charity Mind told the BBC: "The idea that you can test everybody and unceremoniously dump people onto the Jobseekers Allowance is short sighted to say the least. | Sue Christoforou of the mental health charity Mind told the BBC: "The idea that you can test everybody and unceremoniously dump people onto the Jobseekers Allowance is short sighted to say the least. |
| "What is needed is support that will help people return to the workplace." | "What is needed is support that will help people return to the workplace." |
| She said existing claimants already faced a continuing assessment of their right to receive the benefit and that the fraud rate - which she estimated was 0.5% of all IB claims - was very low. | She said existing claimants already faced a continuing assessment of their right to receive the benefit and that the fraud rate - which she estimated was 0.5% of all IB claims - was very low. |
| Labour MP Frank Field, a former welfare reform minister, said he was pleased the Conservatives were addressing the issue. | Labour MP Frank Field, a former welfare reform minister, said he was pleased the Conservatives were addressing the issue. |
| "Many people are just in effect thrown on the slag heap and to help them back into work would massively increase their own happiness, but... the government - whether it intended it or not - is now growing the economy by the importation of labour and most new jobs now go to immigrants," he said. | |