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UK - Taxpayers shelling out £800 a MINUTE in disability benefits to people claiming to suffer from 'anxiety' - as private firms cash in by coaching claimants
UK Mail ^ | 11 April 2026 | DAISY GRAHAM-BROWN

Posted on 04/12/2026 4:44:45 AM PDT by dennisw

Firms cash in by coaching claimants in exchange for half their payout

Taxpayers are shelling out £800 in disability benefits every minute to people claiming to suffer from anxiety, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

The cost of Personal Independence Payments (PIP) for the disorder has rocketed from under £100million in 2019 to nearly £427million last year - under rules that allow anyone, regardless of their income, to collect the payments without ever seeing a doctor.

Instead, the benefit - worth up to £194 a week - can be awarded on nothing more than a personal diary or a letter from a friend describing how anxiety affects daily life.

The payments are not means-tested and there is no requirement to stop working to receive them. A full-time company director on a six-figure salary qualifies on exactly the same basis as anyone else.

Critics say the figures are the latest proof that Britain's benefits bill is out of control, with total PIP spending projected to rise from £26billion a year to £38billion within five years.

Keir Starmer was forced into a humiliating climbdown last year when he abandoned plans to rein in the soaring costs - pulling the proposal 90 minutes before a Commons vote after biggest rebellion of his premiership.

Ministers had wanted to tighten the rules so claimants had to prove they struggled significantly in at least one area of daily life, rather than qualifying by accumulating small difficulties across several.

Plan collapsed after 126 Labour MPs threatened to block it, with rebels arguing the changes would push disabled people into poverty.

PIP is assessed on points across 12 daily living and mobility activities, from washing and cooking to socialising and planning journeys. Needing prompting to socialise scores two points; being unable to manage it at all scores eight.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS:
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1 posted on 04/12/2026 4:44:45 AM PDT by dennisw
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To: dennisw

I got an anxiety attack just reading this. How many million Muslims are on this benny? “Putting together bombs makes me extremely anxious!”


2 posted on 04/12/2026 4:47:25 AM PDT by dennisw (Qatarlson the Insufferable blowhard ////////////////////////// There is no limit to human stupidity.)
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To: dennisw

The USA shells out much more, I’m sure.


3 posted on 04/12/2026 5:23:15 AM PDT by ViLaLuz (2 Chronicles 7:14)
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To: dennisw

Virtually every western gov’t is so far in debt that they’ll never dig themselves out. They’re going to have to stop ALL of these “benefits” & tell people you’re on your own. Deal with it.


4 posted on 04/12/2026 5:36:09 AM PDT by Twotone (Sometimes I wrestle with my demons. Sometimes we just snuggle.)
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To: dennisw
Not our problem in America.

One problem we have is vets, sadly, milking the system with false PTSD claims.

5 posted on 04/12/2026 6:20:18 AM PDT by philman_36 (Pride breakfasted with plenty, dined with poverty and supped with infamy. Benjamin Franklin)
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To: philman_36

What uniform did you wear? Could such an ignorant statement come from somebody that never even went through a smokehouse of bootcamp?


6 posted on 04/12/2026 6:27:18 AM PDT by Kudsman (Cheat free elections, too big to rig. )
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To: Kudsman
I was Navy, smartass. What uniform did you wear?
And I have first hand knowledge of vets stating they are gaming the system.
It's "due them" as they see it.

You can KMA with with your smug condescension.

7 posted on 04/12/2026 6:32:41 AM PDT by philman_36 (Pride breakfasted with plenty, dined with poverty and supped with infamy. Benjamin Franklin)
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To: philman_36

“Not our problem in America.”

You can get a check from Social Security if you present them with the ‘crazy letter’ saying you have a psychiatric disability. There are doctors that will supply them. This was explained to me by one of my employees several years ago. I don’t know if they still do it or not.


8 posted on 04/12/2026 7:12:49 AM PDT by dljordan (Yeah, I'm a Boomer and it's all my fault you whiny little bitch.)
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To: dljordan

Then THAT is an American issue to be solved. The UK can solve its own problems.


9 posted on 04/12/2026 7:28:47 AM PDT by philman_36 (Pride breakfasted with plenty, dined with poverty and supped with infamy. Benjamin Franklin)
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To: philman_36

“One problem we have is vets, sadly, milking the system with false PTSD claims.”
Yes, this can and does happen.


10 posted on 04/12/2026 7:43:46 AM PDT by PsyCon
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To: philman_36

Only with our money.


11 posted on 04/12/2026 7:50:44 AM PDT by mewzilla (Swing away, Mr. President, swing away! 🇺🇸 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿)
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To: dennisw

If the uk was anything like when I lived in Germany every single Islamic turd is on welfare. And the only ones not are working for the government to make sure all the new ones get on the take too.


12 posted on 04/12/2026 10:31:20 AM PDT by Organic Panic
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To: dljordan

Yeah I got laid off, and went to get retraining but the state wanted me to be disabled to get vocational rehab. I went to their psych and vocational eval. Turns out I am considered disabled on about 8 levels. Several of them qualifying me (4 of them “psychological”) for SSD. I just took a job this year that pays me 70k. All it takes is a willingness to drag my butt out of bed and apply work ethic. I won’t get to see retirement, but at least I can be satisfied with myself I didn’t wuss out. Yes, I know there are some who legit can’t work, thats not the sort I’m referring to.


13 posted on 04/12/2026 11:04:29 AM PDT by BudgieRamone (Everybody loves a bonk on the head)
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To: PsyCon; philman_36

Veterans, illegals, all of us have a sinful nature that pops out every-so-often.

But the BIG MONEY is the FRAUD in the SWAMP... in the CONTRACTORS who feed on HHS and taxpayer money. Chief Alligator in the swamp is DELOITTE.

Should we focus on the mosquitos or the alligator in the SWAMP?


14 posted on 04/12/2026 11:19:12 AM PDT by spintreebob
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