One in five people of working age in Lincoln are living on benefits
ONE fifth of all people of working age in Lincoln are living on benefits, according to latest figures.
The 20.9 per cent figure for city people living on benefits compares to 18.7 per cent for the whole of Lincolnshire.
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It also includes those who cite they are unable to work and are claiming Employment Support Allowance and lone parents claiming Income Support. People claiming disability living allowance are also included.
But while the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance has risen since 2007, the number of lone parents and those whose health prevents them from working has remained fairly consistent.
As part of Tuesday's Budget, the Government announced a series of measures to reduce the country's welfare bill by £11 billion within four years.
The shake-up will see the introduction of a new medical assessment from 2013 for people claiming Disability Living Allowance and lone parents are also expected to look for work when their youngest child starts school.
City MP Karl McCartney said: "The figures for Lincoln are unfortunate.It's not good for taxpayers, who pay into the pot, or the people who want to work."
Mr McCartney praised chancellor George Osborne for removing income tax for the lowest paid, which he said will provide a further incentive to work.
He also said he expected to see unemployment in the city fall over the next four years.
The chairman of the neighbourhood board on Lincoln's St Giles estate, Pauline Applewhite, 62, said lone parents on the estate face the problem of juggling work and children with any small wage they could bring home being little more than what they can claim on benefits.
She said: "There is no encouragement to work. It's not easy when you've got three or four kids.
"It's not that people don't want to work, but the benefit system doesn't encourage them to."
Taxpayers' Alliance campaign director Mark Wallace said: "Our current system puts people in limbo."
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by Working Class Hero, Lincoln
Friday, June 25 2010, 4:22PM
“The problem is simple and so is the solution. The amount of money paid on benefits is far too high, so cut the amount people on benefits recieve and they will have an incentive to work. It is economic madness to make it more worthwile not to work, but successive governments have been terrified of dealing with these issues.
I have worked since I was 16 and have never claimed benefits. I don't begrudge the genuine sick and disabled but there are far too many scroungers and layabouts around and unfortunately Lincoln seems to have more than its fair share of them.
I do resent paying fro these people out of my taxes and they should be made to make some kind of contribution to society. Benefit should be sufficient to feed and house people in need and no more, certainly not enough to spend on booze, fags DVD's, betting and holidays in the sun. All these smug politicians claim it is not like that, but I know for a fact it is and have seen dozens of cases of fully fit people livign the life of Riley on my taxes.
Oh and all the sarcastic benefit scroungers who read this, reply as much as you want and be as insulting as you want to try to defend yourselves, because the truth hurts sometimes.”
by Will, The Shire
Friday, June 25 2010, 1:44PM
“I don't feel any anger against him, or want to throw names towards him. I just pity him really. How poor must one's own life be, to come onto a public forum and attempt to talk down other people to make oneself feel better? Such a shame that people lead lives that are so empty. He must be very unhappy deep down.”
by lynn, lincoln
Friday, June 25 2010, 12:10PM
“Will, have you noticed your antagonist hails from Newark?
And Newark is an anagram of W......
that's exactly what he is don't you think?”
by man avin a laugh at will, newark
Friday, June 25 2010, 9:39AM
“I left school with gsces and 1 asal in bull ...t and i am 22, YOU CLEVER little boy i bet mummys very proud of will the shirer”
by Steve, Lincoln
Thursday, June 24 2010, 6:13PM
“Colin Mair, Coningsby, not a problem provided you're going to pay the National Minimum Wage whilst they are working and not just fob them off with dole money. I doubt whether you or any other poster would work for less than £6.00 an hour.”