UK - Benefits cut for fine defaulters could rise to £25

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[h2]Benefits cut for fine defaulters could rise to £25[/h2]

[b]People who fail to pay their fine after they have been convicted for criminal behaviour could lose up to £25 a week in benefits, the government has said.[/b]

PM David Cameron said the measure was being introduced as a deterrent, adding that the current system was "too soft".

At the moment, people who fail to pay a fine on time can have £5 a week deducted from their benefit payments.

Labour said it supported moves to make people "pay for their crimes whether they're on benefits or not".

The increase will start in 2013 when the Universal Credit comes into force.

The government's new welfare payment system will replace a number of existing benefits.

Losing £25 a week in benefits would represent around 37% of the present rate of jobseeker's allowance.

The prime minister, who is in Australia for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, said: "People need to understand if they commit a crime they will face the consequences.

"The system as it stands at the moment is far too soft and does not always send the right signals.

"If you commit a crime and you are on benefits, you can no longer expect to get away with paying the bare minimum."

Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said the summer riots showed that many people did not think about the consequences of their behaviour.

Losing a significant amount of their benefits, he believes, will make people who cause trouble feel the full effects of their actions.

"The PM and I were clear that we would look at all parts of the benefit system and ensure that people feel the full effects of their actions," he said.

[b]Rioters' benefits[/b]

"I do not want to be in the business of leaving people without any money to support themselves but, equally, individuals must know that they cannot commit crime that impacts on the livelihoods and the communities of hard-working people without consequences."

Of the 1,350 people who appeared in court for their part in the unrest that hit the streets of England in August, 40% were claiming a state benefit of some kind, according to official figures.

And 35% - 500 - were claiming an out-of-work benefit, compared with 12% of the general working population in England.

In all, 100 people were found to be claiming disability living allowance and 60 had been claiming incapacity benefit. Some may have been claiming both.

Labour said it supported "tough consequences" for criminals.

Shadow Work and Pension Secretary Liam Byrne said: "Labour introduced tough welfare reforms in government, and we've said that the system should encourage responsibility at the top and the bottom.

"It is important that criminals face tough consequences for their crimes. We will look at the detail of this proposal but my view is straightforward.

"We should be giving the courts the maximum possible freedom to make sure people pay for their crimes whether they're on benefits or not."

Stephen Lloyd, the Lib Dem MP for Eastbourne, said it was a "drastic" measure but he supported it as part of a need to break the benefit cycle and force people to "take responsibility" for their actions.

Mr Lloyd, a member of the Commons Work and Pensions select committtee, describes the plan as "very tough, but justified because it is only implemented if people fail to pay fines".

He said he only supported the proposals because "the government is putting so much into the apprentice and work programmes" to help people into work and off benefits.

[url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15503503[/url]

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[Uber|nooB]

cutting benefits from people who can't get a job and commit crimes sounds like a brilliant plan

[editline]29th October 2011[/editline]

i guess at least when they start stealing food instead of bikes and tvs, they'll have a more valid reason for committing crimes

[Jasun]

And who is this benefiting exactly?

doh ho ho ho!