Five areas of the West Midlands have at least half the adults of working age living entirely on state benefits, new figures reveal today.
A staggering 20,000 households in England and Wales are receiving at least £30,000 a year in benefits. And as many as 70,000 families are being paid benefits in excess of £25,000 a year. More than 50 areas have at least half adults relying completely on state benefits.
The areas in this region are: Soho and Victoria in Sandwell (50.3 per cent); Aston, Birmingham (52.9 per cent); Sparkbrook, Birmingham (55.2 per cent); and Brandwood, Birmingham (55.4 per cent).
The number of households received large sums in benefits will strengthen demands for a welfare crackdown aimed at those who are playing the system rather than those who are genuinely unable to work.
The levels were revealed in a Commons written answer from work and pensions minister James Plaskitt to Conservative spokesman Chris Grayling.
“It’s hardly surprising the Government is failing to get people back into work. Gordon Brown and his ministers keep trying to sound tough on welfare reform but the facts show that after 11 years in power Labour has failed to make the radical changes this country needs,” said Mr Grayling.
The benefits being received include jobseeker’s allowance, incapacity benefit, income support, housing benefit and council tax relief. Whitehall sources said that the figures should be put into perspective – pointing out that the 70,000 households referred to by Mr Plaskitt represented less than half of one per cent of the total number of households in Britain.
3 Comments
yes these are the most deprived area’s aswell , made the connection yet!!!
bet theres a few bmws there to
50% of adults out of work,i bet 30% of them work casual paid in the hand,but this spineless government won’t do a thing to stop this,if anyone as been out of work for more than 3 months make them sign on twice a week and after 6 months make them do community work 20 hours aweek,and if they don’t half there dole money.