Number of people on incapacity benefits falls

There are more people in work and fewer people on incapacity
benefits and lone parents benefits according to official figures
today, writes Clare Jerrom.

There are 28.6 million people in work, which is 196,000 more
than this time last year, the statistics reveal.

Work and pensions secretary David Blunkett said: “Our
priority is to help people move from welfare to work.

“The last year has seen a fall in the number of people
dependent on out-of-work benefits. The largest fall has been
amongst lone parents and those on incapacity benefits,” he
added.

The number of people claiming incapacity benefit has fallen by
29,000 to 2.63 million and the number of lone parents not in work
has fallen by 37,000 to 761,000 in the year to February 2005.