Benefits curb on junkies and alkies - The Sun

THOUSANDS of junkies and alcoholics could be banned from buying drugs and booze with their benefits, it emerged yesterday.

The Government is drawing up plans to replace cash handouts with smartcards that can ONLY be used for essential items.

Some 56,300 claim sickness benefits — worth up to £105.05 a week — due to their addictions to alcohol or drugs.

Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith hopes that restricting benefits to food, clothes and travel will help addicts kick the habit. But he will stop short of banning ALL benefit claimants from buying alcohol and fags — as controversially proposed by fellow Tory MP Alec Shelbrooke.

Mr Duncan Smith said: "I have been looking at this process to figure out whether it is feasible, how would it work, how does it match with legal obligations. There is nothing at the moment on plans, but I genuinely think there are some areas where we might want to think about it."

He added: "You know, somebody who has a history of real drug addiction, giving people cash sometimes can actually lead to further problems."

On the potential introduction of smartcards, a DWP source said: "If someone's got alcohol problems and they need that extra support to control their condition that's a possible tool."

The source stressed there were no plans to introduce a smartcard for every benefit claimant. But Mr Shelbrooke said he hoped the idea would be seriously considered by ministers.

He said last night: "Anyone who cares about the welfare state and the people in it can only support this measure."

e.ashton@the-sun.co.uk

Weed 'em out

A NEW job search service to weed out "shirker" benefit claimants was unveiled yesterday.

The Universal Jobmatch site scans the CVs of jobseekers and automatically matches them with vacancies that suit their skills.

From the New Year, Jobcentre advisers will remotely track claimants to make sure they are looking for three jobs a week. If they fail to look for work or refuse employment, they could lose benefits.

About 690,000 jobseekers have signed up under a pilot programme, as have 370,000 employers. Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said: "It sits perfectly alongside your proactive Sunemployment campaign."