Numbers claiming illness benefit soar to 80,000

ALMOST 80,000 people are claiming an illness benefit while out of work due to back and neck pain, depression and stress.

Figures from the Department of Social and Family Affairs show the number of people claiming illness benefit (78,500) is at an all-time high, despite a major crackdown on fraudulent claims by the department which saw numbers fall back to less than 70,000 in 2007.

The cost of the scheme is continuing to rise: