9,412 people claiming benefit found fit to work

THE number of people claiming disability allowance and illness benefit but later deemed fit to work by medical assessors increased last year.

Figures from the Department of Social and Family Affairs show 9,412 people claiming either of the social welfare payments were found to be capable of being in a job, although the department stressed the claimants were not all stripped of the payments.

The figures show that of the 8,051 disability allowance claimants examined by medical assessors, 3,551 were deemed capable of work — an increase of 1% on the figures for 2007.