‘Skivers’ slur puts off benefit claimants

Londoners losing benefits under welfare reforms are shying away from seeking help for fear of being labelled “scroungers”, say town hall chiefs.

Hackney has attacked ministers for turning the benefit cuts issue into a “strivers v skivers” debate.

The Labour-run borough said 44,000 households there are affected by the changes, with most seeing their income fall — including more than 1,000 caught by the £26,000-a-year benefits cap.

“Placing the reforms in a ‘strivers v skivers’ context is counter-productive,” it added in a submission to a welfare inquiry by the Commons communities committee. “Some affected households are reticent to engage fully for fear they will be labelled as ‘scroungers’.”

Ministers have highlighted how a small number of families in London have received more than £100,000 a year in housing benefit.

But Hackney urged the Government to rethink its communication strategy, saying: “Emphasising extreme instances out of context leads to stigmatisation.”

The Department for Work and Pensions said: “The problem has been a system that has trapped too many people into a life of benefit dependency, where it no longer pays to work.”