Tories get tough over benefits

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A new "three strikes and you're out" rule could cost individuals more than £9,000 and couples almost £14,500 over three years if they reject three reasonable job offers.

Parents on Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) or Incapacity Benefit could lose up to a third of their income if they fail to comply with the rule, said the Tories.

But Work and Pensions Secretary Peter Hain dismissed the proposal as "spin", pointing out that the Government already requires JSA claimants to accept reasonable job offers or lose benefit for up to six months.

The "three strikes" policy forms part of a get-tough welfare reform package to be unveiled by Tory leader David Cameron, which also includes a new assessment of all 2.6 million Incapacity Benefit claimants to check whether they are really unfit for work.

Shadow work and pensions secretary Chris Grayling said: "We think it's time to take tough action against those who are deliberately staying at home and claiming benefits rather than going back into work. We think that if you get a reasonable job offer, you should take it - and if you don't, then you can't expect to be able to carry on claiming out-of-work benefits.

"Under Gordon Brown we have seen millions of people coming into the country to work. Yet it's still possible for many British people to stay at home on benefits, and not go back to work. That simply doesn't make sense."

Under the Conservative proposals, any benefit claimant who receives a reasonable job offer - as defined by Government guidelines - will be expected to accept it.

If they do not do so, they will lose one month's out-of-work benefits. Refusal of a second reasonable offer will cost them three months' benefits and if they turn down a third they will be excluded from receiving further out-of-work benefits for a period of up to three years. The loss of JSA would cost an individual claimant up to £59.15 a week and a couple £92.80, assuming both have turned down reasonable job offers.

Mr Hain dismissed the proposal as "yet more Cameron spin". He said: "The existing Jobseeker's Allowance regime already requires claimants to take up reasonable job offers or face a loss of benefit for six months. Seeking to present a 'three strikes' policy as a radical shift is dishonest."