The number of people in work and claiming housing benefit
has rocketed by 59 per cent since the Coalition came to power and will cost
taxpayers an extra £5 billion by next year’s general election. The figures,
compiled by the House of Commons Library, highlight the growth of “in-work
poverty” in recent years while wages fell in real terms and rents continued to
rise. They also undermine claims by some Conservatives that benefit claimants
are “skivers” because many people qualify for state help even though they are
in jobs. The number of housing benefit
claimants in work rose from 650,561 in May 2010 to 1.03 million by the end of
last year. The Commons Library estimates the cost of the extra claims at £4.8
billion by May 2015. Read more on the Independent website.
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