𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Criminials will be stopped from spending benefits on alcohol and cigarettes under new plans announced by the Conservatives.

The scheme is the latest policy Kemi Badenoch’s party has put forward alongside other plans they say will cut the welfare budget.

But criminals, either out on licence or serving community sentences, would be barred from spending their benefits money on gambling and items including alcohol and cigarettes, under the plans.

Mr Philp told the BBC: “It would be for the period of the suspended sentence or licence period plus a year thereafter, at a minimum, but we are going to review whether this sort of principle could be applied more widely.”

When asked if that means other benefits claimants could have their spending controlled, he said: “That is a question that I think is worth considering, but it’s not for today’s announcement.”

Offenders on benefits would be handed a payment card, instead of cash, that does not allow them to transfer money to other people, withdraw cash, or spend money on the banned items, he added.

The announcement data shows that more people than ever before are receiving benefits, with 9.2m working-age people on benefits in England and Wales.

Conservative analysis suggests that an estimated 500,000 of those on Universal Credit are ex-offenders, which is​ 6 per cent of claimants.

Mr Philp, speaking at the time of the announcement said that “hardworking families are taxed to the hilt to fund a welfare system that criminals are gaming. Labour scrapped all plans to cut welfare, and left £4.4 billion in criminal fines sitting uncollected.

“Starmer spent years making excuses for criminals as Director of Public Prosecutions. Old habits die hard, just now he’s doing it from Downing Street.

“Conservatives say enough and have a clear plan to put an end to this farce by putting an end to criminals spending taxpayer money on gambling and alcohol.”

Labour was approached for comment.