Injury claim news - Industrial injury benefits could have been paid out to inmates

It is feared prisoners could be claiming for industrial injury after recent figures show that inmates have managed to claim £13million in other benefits.

Recent figures released by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) have shown that £13million of Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance has been given to ineligible inmates in the last three years.

A total of £7million was paid out in 2004-05 and more money could have been mistakenly given out to other people claiming industrial injury benefits for a serious personal injury they may have sustained in a work accident.

Tory Work and Pensions spokesman, Phillip Hammond, said, "Prisoners are not entitled to claim Jobseekers Allowance because they are not available to work while locked up. They are also ineligible for income support and generally cannot receive incapacity and disability benefits, the state pension, carers allowance or industrial injury benefit."