Judith Collins MP
National Party Welfare Spokeswoman

11 April 2007

Sickness and invalids benefit numbers climb (again)

National Party Welfare spokeswoman Judith Collins says figures released today confirm that the number of sickness and invalids beneficiaries is continuing to climb.

“No one would criticise a decrease in the level of unemployment. It should be embraced as the perfect time to reform aspects of welfare when there are jobs and opportunities in the economy.

“But what’s puzzling is the relentless increase in the number of people collecting sickness and invalids’ benefits, when there appears to be no epidemic of sickness and injury.”

In December 1999 there were 32,870 on the sickness benefit and 52,195 on the invalids benefit. By February 2007 that figure had grown to 47,344 on sickness benefits and 76,317 on invalids benefits.

“Both invalids and sickness numbers have gone up by nearly 50% since Labour took office, yet the pilot programmes to shift people off these benefits are struggling to make a significant difference.

“In August 2006 there were 5,562 people on sickness benefit for stress, with 73 of those on the benefit for more than 10 years. David Benson-Pope needs to explain how this can be, when the sickness benefit is supposed to be short term.”

Mr Benson-Pope has previously said that as many as a quarter of those on the sickness benefit are capable of working.

“If that’s correct, why is Labour so lousy at getting them off welfare and into work?”

ENDS

© Scoop Media