Benefits could be limited to buying bare essentials as Iain Duncan Smith warns of dan

[super jumbe]

Work and Pensions Iain Duncan Smith said he was looking at how a 'welfare card' would work in practice


Benefits claimants would be banned from using state handouts to buy beer and alcohol under plans being actively considered by the government.

Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith today admitted he was ?looking at this process? to see how a welfare card, which can only be used to buy certain items, would work in practice.

It comes as ministers published legislation to cap rises in benefits at one per cent for each of the next three years, setting the scene for a battle with the Labour party which has argued for bigger rises through to 2015.

The cap is expected to eventually save ?3.7billion, but Labour says it is an attack on hard working families.

But Mr Duncan Smith signalled his determination to get tough with people who receive benefits as he unveiled a new jobs website which would force the workless to explain why they were refusing employment.

And he backed the idea of benefits being added to a pre-pay card which can only be used for certain purchases.

He said: ?I?ve been looking at this process to figure out whether it?s feasible, how would it work, how does it match with legal obligations, so we?ve already been examining this.

?I genuinely think there are some areas where we might want to think about.?

He added that one cause of concern was drug addicts using benefits to feed a habit.

?You know, somebody who has a history of real drug addiction, giving people cash sometimes can actually lead to further problems,? he told BBC Radio 4.

It follows a move in the Commons by a backbench Tory MP to change the law to introduce a welfare card

Alec Shelbrooke said he wanted to stop state money being used for non-essential, desirable and often damaging (NEDDs) products like alcohol, cigarettes, paid-for TV channels and gambling.

[super jumbe]

So the unemployed will not able to buy alcohol, cigarettes, or go on holidays.

This is 21st centurie UK going back to stone age?

[gmb45]

scare mongering, wont happen, garunteed election looser for them tory basads.

[GastonJ]

"But Mr Duncan Smith signaled his determination to get tough with people who receive benefits as he unveiled a new jobs website which would force the workless to explain why they were refusing employment."

So internet is an essential to getting a job then?

"You know, somebody who has a history of real drug addiction, giving people cash sometimes can actually lead to further problems, he told BBC Radio 4."

and they won't steal money/items instead? State saves, Joe Public gets mugged, burgled and so on, but that saves the government money?

[vorlon2257]

Yet another idea by a government that don't have f*cking clue, bunch of brain dead f*cking assholes the lot of them.

Hey I know lets BLAME THE UNEMPLOYED BECAUSE THE WORLD IS SUPPOSE TO END TODAY.

Another attack on the unemployed for being unemployed

[skegsagypsy]

how about introducing an expenses card for MPs the greatest leach on the public purse in existence, horrible barsturds have been fiddling the system to the tune of billions !!

[Hoppy01]

I will be so happy to see the back of these clowns come the next election, there just seems to be no end to taking a giant dump on anyone who isn't a Tory.
I agree with other points people have made, its long overdue that the people start kicking the Government into line.
I am sick of this quick fix crap that the Tory mugs seem to love, one stupid idea after the next and what about all the changes they have done under the radar that will surface in the next few years.

[gopher7]

Each stupid idea will be set-up so as not to derail their Gravy Train.

[GastonJ]

Each stupid idea will be set-up so as not to derail their Gravy Train.

Depends whether gravy is a NEDD, if it is you can't have it.

Nothing like making it much more demeaning when you're down on your luck, because some venture capitalist has closed your shop/factory/office at Christmas, than someone making you walk into a shop to buy food with a card that screams "benefits sponge" on it is there.

Wonder if it makes the Tories and Liberals any better? Bet the lemmings vote for them next time tho.... Have a wonderful Dickension Christmas.... care of the people that were in power when Dickens was about.

[Meat-Head]

[URL]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2246104/Unemployed-single-mother-benefits-spends-2-000-Christmas-20-presents-children.html[/URL][URL="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2246104/Unemployed-single-mother-benefits-spends-2-000-Christmas-20-presents-children.html"]
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[GastonJ]

Ah a good propaganda rag for the Tories, much better suited to wiping yer rear end on for what it's worth. 15k a year, roughly 300 a week, made up mostly of council tax, ??40 in family allowance? and rent I'd guess.

Still makes the Daily Sh*t-roll look good and makes the Tories look justified.

[super jumbe]

People will turn to Crime/prostitution whose problem is that???

They seem to have no problem with the royal family taking tax payer?s money!!

[bobwill]

About time some one stopped the welfare scroungers from getting a free ride in life .After 2 years the money should stop and get vouchers instead some people have been on benifits for all they life this is not down on there luck this is just getting a free ride on the low paid people working and on poor pensioners who have to pay there council tax and if there pension is over 10 grand there income tax . This will hit sky tv they are the only people who can afford to have it.
I know the PC loony left brigade who keep shouting bring back labour they just want them back to finish the job off bankrupting the country they nearly succeeded last time .If the country do go bankrupt it will not the communist who take over as the pc loony left think, it will be fascism look at what is happening in greece and spain and what happened in germany between the wars and I do not want ether communist or fascist thank you
Thatcher was to far right for me

[tornado]

It be more like telling u what shop u can buy from deals would be done simple as that and the ones that want drink etc will just buy other stuff and sell it so in all it is pointless just crime will go up and the poor will be made to pay.

[bonus2010]

I think the idea of the 'welfare cards'; is just to stigmatise people. I wonder if these cards would be issued to the working people claiming in-work state benefits, like tax credits. I'm sure it is the working people claiming benefits that account for the bulk of the UK welfare benefit bill.