Benefit cuts for addicts who shun rehab

News in pictures
News in pictures
On Facebook
From the blogs

Why David Cameron owes unemployed single mothers an apology

How would you describe an unemployed single mother, with moderate depression, who can't afford new s...

Can we shop our way out of a recession?

The idea that a lot of shopping translates into a healthy economy is dubious. On the three prior oc...

How social networking made public vanity acceptable

When did it become acceptable to brag about oneself publicly?

‘French beer is unknown. We must change that’

Stereotypes die hard. ‘The Very Hungry Frenchman’, the BBC’s current television series following che...

Jobless drug addicts who refuse to be treated for their habit face having their benefit cut, the Government will announce today.

Around 100,000 Britons receive Incapacity Benefit (IB) because their dependence on drugs or drink is considered to render them incapable of work.

Ministers will announce that the benefits system will be reformed in such as way as to "help and encourage" heavy drug users to receive treatment. Those who refuse to co-operate by regularly attending rehabilitation courses could find that their incapacity payments are cut.

IB claimants initially receive £61.35 a week, rising to £72.55 after six months and £81.35 after 12 months.

Ministers acknowledge that cutting payments to drug addicts would prove complicated, but say that such moves are essential to ensure that addicts remain in treatment.

The Government's 10-year drug strategy will also set out plans for Ofsted to assess schools for the quality of their anti-drugs education. Social workers will be instructed to intervene at an earlier stage to monitor the children of drug-using parents. Grandparents who look after such youngsters will also receive extra help.

Ministers will legislate to enable police to seize the assets of drug dealers – down to their cars, electronic gadgets and jewellery – upon arrest rather than conviction. Currently, police can only seize their cash at the point of arrest.

The 12-year limit on criminals' assets being confiscated will be abolished and more deals signed with foreign countries to enable UK police to pursue major drug dealers overseas.

The Government argues that it is having some success in combating addiction, with the percentage of people who have experimented with illicit substances at an 11-year low.

But critics say Britain remains near the top of the European league table for heroin and cannabis use.

A Home Office source said: "Our ambition is clear – we want to ensure fewer and fewer people start using illegal substances. We want those who use drugs to enter and complete treatment, and lead healthy drug-free lives."

Independent Comment
blog comments powered by Disqus
Career Services

Day In a Page

Lost in the landscape: Wilderness and wildlife in Australia’s Top End

Wilderness and wildlife in Australia’s Top End

This sparsely populated region is home to creatures that are both fantastic and formidable
48 Hours: Marrakech

48 Hours: Marrakech

From the ancient medina to the Palmeraie, Morocco's Rose City offers a warm escape from the cold of winter.
Bear with Bern for Swiss skiing

Bear with Bern for Swiss skiing

Stephen Wood arrives at the gateway to the Bernese Oberland with plenty of respect for the slopes and the city's ursine inhabitants.
Dawn of the age of wireless medicine

Dawn of the age of wireless medicine

New technology means doctors will soon be able to regulate and monitor drug intake remotely – as long as patients remember to swallow their chips
Pete Doherty: I was a bit unhinged

Pete Doherty: I was a bit unhinged

Former Libertine talks frankly and exclusively about Kate Moss, Amy Winehouse, his baby daughter and why he paints with his own blood
Brown makes £1m since leaving No 10 (but Blair's still the leading earner)

Brown makes £1m since leaving No 10...

... but Blair's still the leading earner
The West Bank's Bobby Sands

The West Bank's Bobby Sands

Khader Adnan's two-month hunger strike has made him a hero among Palestinians outraged by Israel's policy of arbitrary detention
Hey, You've got to hide your drug away

Hey, You've got to hide your drug away

Paul McCartney has given up smoking dope. Simon Usborne charts a career of highs and lows
MI5 helped US in fruitless search for Charlie Chaplin's Communist past

Investigating Charlie Chaplin

MI5 helped US in fruitless search for star's Communist past
Eat, drink, man, woman: Is there such a thing as a gastronomic gender divide?

Is there such a thing as a gastronomic gender divide?

A dainty piece of sushi for the lady? And perhaps a rare steak for the gentleman?
A very good cuppa: Some of our best restaurants are embracing the afternoon tea tradition

A very good cuppa: Restaurants embrace afternoon tea tradition

You don’t have to visit a tourist trap, says Luke Blackall
The 10 Best Juicers

The 10 Best Juicers

From the Bistro drip-stop to Cook's Essentials' retro juicer...
How to make cheese in a matter of minutes

How to make cheese in a matter of minutes

You won't even need to go to the shops for supplies, as Will Dean discovers.
The day I danced for a place in Danny Boyle's Olympics spectacular

The day I danced for a place in Danny Boyle's Olympics spectacular

Tom Peck auditioned for the London 2012 opening ceremony. But was he asked back?
Is Wenger finished at Arsenal?

Is Wenger finished at Arsenal?

Milan debacle shows manager has let Gunners become an average team who are set to fall further