The U.K. Prime Minister will today announce plans to cut benefits for those who refuse treatment for obesity or drug addiction. He has asked a government adviser to review plans that will force people with preventable health conditions into treatment, or else their benefits will be stopped, according to the Daily Mail.
Figures show that there are around 90,000 people in the U.K. claiming sickness benefits for conditions such as obesity, alcoholism and drug addiction. This costs on average £100 per week, but under the new plans these claimants could see their payments reduced or stopped altogether if they refuse help. Cameron says "we must look at what we do when people simply say no thanks and refuse that help, but expect taxpayers to carry on funding their benefits."
The overall aim of this new scheme is to make sure that more people seek the treatment they need for these types of health conditions, according to the Independent. Cameron added, "Over the next five years I want to see many more people coming off sick benefit and into work."
A full-scale review is to be completed by the end of this year, as reported by the Guardian. Initially, the plan was limited to obese people when it was first drafted in February this year. Now it has been expanded to include those who are unable to work due to drugs or alcohol addiction.
