[DanaC]

Originally Posted by CaudleHalbard

Who is talking about DLA? Not me! And if my tax money is being handed out, I want thorough and proper scrutiny.

I specifically mentioned able-bodied people.... 2.5 million of them, sitting around drawing benefit while we import a million workers from E. Europe to do the jobs our home-grown benefits claimants don't feel like doing.

Where do yo get the figure of 2.5 million?

The most recent figures I have managed to find are around about 1.5 million claimants of JSA.

Of which those claiming for more than 10 years is around 1000.

The vast majority of JSA claims are temporary. Which, I think most would agree, is what JSA is for: a temporary support for people not in work until they can find work.

https://www.gov.uk/government/upload.../2013-1248.pdf

Number of JSA claimants and of which those with current continuous
claim of over 10 years: August 2012
Number of claimants 1,471,070 Of which those with current
claim of over 10 years 1,070

Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security, Work and Pensions
Longitudinal Study
1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
2. Coverage: All cases in payment in Great Britain. This excludes cases
in Northern Ireland.
3. Data is at August 2012 which is the latest data available.

I would encourage people to read some of the excellent research that's available online, which shows how these myths arise, and how they are used in the political sphere.

This one's an interesting piece: worth checking out the studies in the bibliography at the end.

http://socialwelfare.bl.uk/subject-a...of_welfare.pdf

As is this, though a lot of it draws on the same research as the above:

http://www.redpepper.org.uk/mythbuster-welfare-reform/

[CaudleHalbard]

Originally Posted by DanaC

Where do yo get the figure of 2.5 million?

http://wwe.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23340165

Not all the unemployed get JSA. Some are on other benefits.

The 2.5 million figure does not include those on disability benefits.