Work or lose your benefits

Unemployed people will be forced to work for their state benefits or facing losing them, under plans being outlined this afternoon in Parliament.

Incapacity benefit and income support would be scrapped and benefits for people who are out of work would be cut to two - jobseeker's allowance and employment support allowance.

Jobseeker's allowance will be retained for people fit for work, and employment support will go to those who are out of work because of a physical or medical condition.

The get-tough message from Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell to MPs and the public today was that there will no longer be a "right to a life on benefits".

Under new rules, only full-time carers and disabled people "with the greatest needs" will not be expected to go out and find a job.

All current Incapacity Benefit claimants will undergo medical tests to determine what capacity they have for employment.

Unemployed drug addicts who lie to get benefits will be forced to repay the money and could face jail, while jobless people who take drugs will be banned from receiving dole money unless they accept treatment.

Single parents with children aged seven and over will be one of the biggest groups who will be expected to find work.

Anyone who does not find a job would eventually be expected to carry out work in the community in exchange for their benefits.

Mr Purnell said that the proposals offered support for people trying to find a job, and promoted individual responsibility which meant that those who could fend for themselves should do so.

"If people don't live up to that expectation then they can lose their benefits," he said.