Benefit Cheats must be quaking in their boots!
Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:56 pm
From yesterdays Mail..
Grandad fought in the war for cunts like this???
Disability benefits are costing taxpayers an extra ?3.1billion a year under Labour - and a major factor is a massive rise in the number of claimants who are drug addicts and alcoholics, according to newly released documents.
Over the past ten years, the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) budget has soared from ?5.7billion to ?8.8billion a year - enough to build 20 new 'super hospitals'.
And papers released under the Freedom of Information Act disclose that the number of drug addicts and alcoholics claiming the ?60-a-week payment has risen five-fold, from 3,000 in 1997 to almost 17,000 last year.
The figures also reveal:
? Claimants suffering from ' psychosis' - a form of mental illness often caused by smoking cannabis - leapt from 63,000 to 148,000.
? The claim of 'back pain - not specified' has more than doubled from 56,000 to 123,000, costing the taxpayer an extra ?291million.
? The number of deaf people in the UK has almost tripled from 13,000 to 34,600, costing a total of ?79million.
? Claimants citing 'learning difficulties' rose from 182,000 to 282,000 - a leap from ?532million to ?781million.
Critics have claimed that checks on claimants are not sufficiently stringent and that criminals have targeted the benefit.
To qualify, claimants have to complete an online form from the DWP website, which displays the message: 'Claim straight away - if you delay you may lose benefit.'
Claimants can be ordered to provide GPs' letters or attend medicals if there is not enough evidence to support their claim.
But, with more than 2.8million DLA claimants, the DWP admits it is not standard procedure.
Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Chris Grayling said: 'These worrying figures reveal the extent of Britain's "dependency culture".
'They show quite clearly that Labour is just ignoring many of our root social problems.
'All we are doing is spending more money on people who are trapped on benefits without doing more practical things to help them.'
In 2005, the Office for National Statistics found that an estimated ?1billion a year was paid out on fraudulent DLA claims.
As a result, Government spending watchdog the National Audit Office has refused to sign off the DWP's accounts for the past 18 years.
This January, former NAO boss Sir John Bourn said: 'Losses due to fraud are still a significant drain on the public purse and the high levels of fraud and error are one reason for the qualification of the Department's accounts.'
Recent cases include professional boxer Keith Jones who, despite fighting in more than 100 contests - some televised - managed to claim ?20,000.
Jay Somers, 49, from Merseyside, received a suspended prison sentence after admitting giving dance lessons while receiving almost ?23,000 in disability allowances.
Several internet companies now sell advice on how to legally squeeze the DLA.
One, www.benefitsandwork.co.uk, lists feedback from happy customers.
One reads: 'I feel like I've won the lottery. . . Just hope that someone doesn't burst my bubble!'
Marjorie Wallace, of the mental health charity Sane, said: 'This huge rise in the number of claimants for psychosis could be linked to the Government's relaxation of cannabis laws.
'But all the evidence suggests psychosis sufferers have remained - relatively stable. I suppose that calls into question the validity of the claimant.'
A DWP spokesman said: 'People claiming DLA must be able to demonstrate they have specific care or mobility needs resulting from their medical condition.'
Case history: The strongman who lifted ?43,000 in bogus claims
Jon Stentiford was able to collect Disability Living Allowance at the same time as holding the title of Cornwall's Strongest Man.
Despite being able to lift a half-ton Metro car for one minute, the 36-year-old, of St Neot, pocketed ?43,000 after claiming he had a bad back.
The 6ft 4in bodybuilder began receiving the benefit for sciatica - a condition that can cause lower back pain - in 2002.
But the next year, he entered the local 'strongman' tournament.
Competing under the alias John Nicholls, he stood with two 50lb weights at arm's length for several minutes.
During the competition, he was also able to carry two gas bottles over an obstacle course, heave a truck across a track and load heavy objects into a lorry.
Steve Ruark, a friend who runs the Gymnasium Centre in nearby Liskeard, where Stentiford still works out, said: 'On that day he was clearly the strongest man.'
It later emerged that Stentiford, a father of two, was able to claim DLA simply by using a false name on his application form.
Despite supposedly stringent checks - much heralded by the Department for Work and Pensions - officials failed to spot his lies and the scam was only exposed after an anonymous tip-off.
In May last year, the father of two admitted five charges of falsely claiming benefits, which also included housing and council tax benefit offences.
He was sentenced to nine months' jail, suspended for two years.
This cunt must be laughing all the way to the pub!!
Grandad fought in the war for cunts like this???
Disability benefits are costing taxpayers an extra ?3.1billion a year under Labour - and a major factor is a massive rise in the number of claimants who are drug addicts and alcoholics, according to newly released documents.
Over the past ten years, the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) budget has soared from ?5.7billion to ?8.8billion a year - enough to build 20 new 'super hospitals'.
And papers released under the Freedom of Information Act disclose that the number of drug addicts and alcoholics claiming the ?60-a-week payment has risen five-fold, from 3,000 in 1997 to almost 17,000 last year.
The figures also reveal:
? Claimants suffering from ' psychosis' - a form of mental illness often caused by smoking cannabis - leapt from 63,000 to 148,000.
? The claim of 'back pain - not specified' has more than doubled from 56,000 to 123,000, costing the taxpayer an extra ?291million.
? The number of deaf people in the UK has almost tripled from 13,000 to 34,600, costing a total of ?79million.
? Claimants citing 'learning difficulties' rose from 182,000 to 282,000 - a leap from ?532million to ?781million.
Critics have claimed that checks on claimants are not sufficiently stringent and that criminals have targeted the benefit.
To qualify, claimants have to complete an online form from the DWP website, which displays the message: 'Claim straight away - if you delay you may lose benefit.'
Claimants can be ordered to provide GPs' letters or attend medicals if there is not enough evidence to support their claim.
But, with more than 2.8million DLA claimants, the DWP admits it is not standard procedure.
Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Chris Grayling said: 'These worrying figures reveal the extent of Britain's "dependency culture".
'They show quite clearly that Labour is just ignoring many of our root social problems.
'All we are doing is spending more money on people who are trapped on benefits without doing more practical things to help them.'
In 2005, the Office for National Statistics found that an estimated ?1billion a year was paid out on fraudulent DLA claims.
As a result, Government spending watchdog the National Audit Office has refused to sign off the DWP's accounts for the past 18 years.
This January, former NAO boss Sir John Bourn said: 'Losses due to fraud are still a significant drain on the public purse and the high levels of fraud and error are one reason for the qualification of the Department's accounts.'
Recent cases include professional boxer Keith Jones who, despite fighting in more than 100 contests - some televised - managed to claim ?20,000.
Jay Somers, 49, from Merseyside, received a suspended prison sentence after admitting giving dance lessons while receiving almost ?23,000 in disability allowances.
Several internet companies now sell advice on how to legally squeeze the DLA.
One, www.benefitsandwork.co.uk, lists feedback from happy customers.
One reads: 'I feel like I've won the lottery. . . Just hope that someone doesn't burst my bubble!'
Marjorie Wallace, of the mental health charity Sane, said: 'This huge rise in the number of claimants for psychosis could be linked to the Government's relaxation of cannabis laws.
'But all the evidence suggests psychosis sufferers have remained - relatively stable. I suppose that calls into question the validity of the claimant.'
A DWP spokesman said: 'People claiming DLA must be able to demonstrate they have specific care or mobility needs resulting from their medical condition.'
Case history: The strongman who lifted ?43,000 in bogus claims
Jon Stentiford was able to collect Disability Living Allowance at the same time as holding the title of Cornwall's Strongest Man.
Despite being able to lift a half-ton Metro car for one minute, the 36-year-old, of St Neot, pocketed ?43,000 after claiming he had a bad back.
The 6ft 4in bodybuilder began receiving the benefit for sciatica - a condition that can cause lower back pain - in 2002.
But the next year, he entered the local 'strongman' tournament.
Competing under the alias John Nicholls, he stood with two 50lb weights at arm's length for several minutes.
During the competition, he was also able to carry two gas bottles over an obstacle course, heave a truck across a track and load heavy objects into a lorry.
Steve Ruark, a friend who runs the Gymnasium Centre in nearby Liskeard, where Stentiford still works out, said: 'On that day he was clearly the strongest man.'
It later emerged that Stentiford, a father of two, was able to claim DLA simply by using a false name on his application form.
Despite supposedly stringent checks - much heralded by the Department for Work and Pensions - officials failed to spot his lies and the scam was only exposed after an anonymous tip-off.
In May last year, the father of two admitted five charges of falsely claiming benefits, which also included housing and council tax benefit offences.
He was sentenced to nine months' jail, suspended for two years.
This cunt must be laughing all the way to the pub!!