Alcoholics could see benefits cut
New proposals from the government could see alcoholics lose their benefits if they are not seeking treatment, reports the BBC website.
A review will be carried out jointly by the Department of Health and the Department of Work and Pensions to investigate the idea of docking benefit payments if addicts are not seen to be getting help for their addiction. A similar scheme for drug addicts is currently already being discussed in Parliament.
However the plans have been criticised by the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, and alcohol abuse charities, who believe that stopping benefits could have an impact on an addicts family, in particular children.
A spokesperson for Addaction said: “We support measures to get treatment to the people who need it, but that treatment needs proper funding to be effective. Stopping someone’s benefits could have a real impact on any children they may have. It’s essential that families are taken into account when such decisions are being made.”