Disability Benefits for Minor Conditions Surge in UK

0:00On April 20, claims for disability benefits due to food intolerances in the UK have skyrocketed 500% over the past 5 years. Back in 2021, just 12 people are getting personal independence payments for it, but by January this year, that number jumped to 78. Each one pulls in about 114 pounds a week for not working. Meanwhile, other minor conditions are seeing big spikes too. Acne claims rose 35%, tennis elbow more than doubled from 207 to 425, and riders cramp went up. 40% is muscles cramp up involuntarily, taxpayers are fuming, feeling like the system's being gained. Critics say these payouts mock the real purpose of helping folks with serious disabilities, especially with the overall benefits bill projected to top. 320 billion pounds by year's end. On the bigger scale, more than 5,000 people now claim for mood disorders, nearly 2,800 for gout and inflammatory.

1:01Arthritis hits 71,000 claims, up almost 6% since 2021. The department for work and pensions calls these a tiny slice of total claims and points to reforms that could save nearly 2 billion pounds. This term aiming to tighten things up as scrutiny ramps up.