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New figures show rise in drug addicts claiming benefits
The Herald.
The number of people claiming disability benefits who are addicted to drugs or alcohol has quadrupled in the last decade, figures showed today.
The Tories claimed the rise in the numbers of addicts and alcoholics claiming Disability Living Allowance "completely undermined" claims by ministers they were dealing with the problem.
The figures show 4,800 people received the benefit in 1998 and the number increased each year, hitting 19,300 in 2008.
It is paid because of care or mobility needs people have due to their addiction. Those who receive it can get a maximum of £113.75 a week in addition to other benefits and a medical examination is not normally required.
Shadow work and pensions minister Mark Harper, who obtained the data said: "These figures completely undermine Labour's sham claim to be getting to grips with drug addiction and benefit dependency.
"James Purnell (Work and Pensions Secretary) likes to try and spin the public with talk tough about welfare reform, but Labour's record over the last ten years shows they have let the public down."