WELFARE claimants signed off work due to drug and alcohol addiction or being too fat could be stripped of sickness benefit if they refuse treatment under a new Tory crackdown.
ALAMY
David Cameron has personally ordered a sweeping review of the benefit system to find out why around 100,000 people are getting taxpayer-funded hand-outs because of health conditions linked to their own behaviour.
His move follows growing fury at around £500million a year of taxpayers cash being used to fund the lifestyles of jobless people with so-called "treatable conditions” such as obesity and substance abuse.
And he acknowledged that it was "simply not fair" to expect hard-working families to go on funding the lifestyles of claimants who refuse to tackle their problems.
Mr Cameron said: “Too many people are stuck on sickness benefits because of issues that could be addressed but instead are not.
"Some have drug or alcohol problems, but refuse treatment.
"In other cases people have problems with their weight that could be addressed, but instead a life on benefits rather than work becomes the choice.
"It is not fair to ask hardworking taxpayers to fund the benefits of people who refuse to accept the support and treatment that could help them get back to a life of work."
Mr Cameron has instructed Professor Dame Carol Black, a medic and expert in welfare policy, to examine the benefit system and find new incentives to make jobless junkies, alcoholics and binge eaters conquer their conditions and get jobs.
