I work hard for a living - regularly pulling 60 hour weeks and struggling to keep on top of bills. It angers me that a large part of my wage is being taken to be given to people who feel they have the "right not to work".

Tom+Kirsten, Edinburgh, Scotland

I worked as a "friend" in Woking and the young girl I befriended was only interested in getting pregnant and getting her own flat. They should be given no support for a second child, and should be put in a house to share with other single mothers. Should be counselled against choosing this life

dawn, woking,

Gov't policies are not meant to work but only to appease majority electorate. Single mums are just an easy target. Much of the "benefits" quoted (£30,000 p.a etc.) is housing benefit. If everyone really escaped the poverty trap into private housing, smug middle class would be devastated.

elsie, bournemouth, uk

Zoe, you're wrong, the child of a single (or any other) mother is not always a future tax payer, it may well become a single parent itself and therefore another state sponger. People shouldn't have the right to have offspring they can't afford and certainly shouldn't be rewarded for being feckless.

Doug Bates, St. Albans,

The shamelessness of some people! If you can't afford children then don't have them! Why should those who work and struggle to support our own families have our income reduced even more to support those who choose to sponge off others? Just having kids is not in itself worthy of support or respect

Rose, Stirling, UK

A single-mother should be supported all the way until the child is in school. End of debate. The child is a worker/tax-payer of the future, and should have at least one full-time parent, rather than having to miss out because it's only care-giver is forced to work most of the time!!

Zoe, Liverpool, Britain

The only daycare near me is £5 an hour.
If I work 9-5 she'd need to be in daycare 8-6pm.
For one, I'd see her for 1 hour a day before she sleeps.
£250 / week for daycare,
£125r rent,
£40 food,
£20 utilities...

£ 435/week AFTER tax, for 1 hour a day with my daughter?

K, peterborough,

In America the welfare mothers are forced to work 20 to 30 hours a week while going to college or vocational school. Most are being forced to drop out of school. A nurse making 25 dollars an hour will pay a considerable amount of tax revenue over a lifetime. A great investment one would think.

Richard Hellstom, Lexington, Ky., USA

I think this should be 4 parents of school age children so they can work while kids are out.My mom worked as a dinner lady when I was little,she then got a full time job when I was older. And as for not being able to get a job.Scrub toilets if you have to! I did last year- I'm a fundraising manager!

rebecca, sheffield, UK

Does this mean that the benefits for the biggest group of scroungers will also be cut - the MP's sitting in Parliament. They get index linked pensions - you can't, huge tax free allowances - you can't, second home allowances - you can't, petrol and vehicle allowances - you can't, need I go on?

Ian R, Stoke On Trent, England

At a time when unemployment is going up it is an easy target to put the boot into people on welfare. Lets not forget that not long age Labour were boasting about how unemployment was-but doing nothing to stop the export of jobs to Asia etc. It will save very little, but put many people in hardship.

Ian R, Stoke On Trent, England

Why is this all the fault of single mothers? Not all single mothers are versions of Karen Matthews. And what about the fathers of all these children, shouldn't they be the ones who pay for the upkeep of their offspring, accidental or otherwise?

Joanne, Notts,

It's always focussing on single mothers, with little about the dads. I think that we should shame the dads more. We need better teeth in getting to grips with the men that carry on as before while fathering kids and not contributing to their care.

John, Knutsford, UK

I for one am glad that claimants will be forced to work. I am a 47 yearl old female who has been unemployed for 8 months. I have tried unsucessfully to gain employment. If the government is going to FORCE someone to employ me then I for one cant wait.

Ms S Roberts, Manchester,

"right not to work" - ridiculous - imagine the world in 100 years if everyone adopted that attitude. my parents were both working full time - we were poor but i turned out well, don't love them any less, am reasonably successful - it is all down to good parenting.

Craig, London,

Now you have to tell employers to employ crips, then I can have a job I've been looking for six years now and all I get is short term non jobs and I mean non jobs, Six weeks working for the council picking up litter, they did not even gives us black bags but left us sitting in a shed. (I've no legs)

treborc, carm, UK

They have to find SOME way of getting rid of benefit dependency. Are any of these children better off w/ feckless parents staying at home or would it be better if they were in well run nurseries? As a teacher I cant even count the no of kids who tell me they want to be on the dole when they grown up

Helen Norris, Sevenoaks, England

There are plenty of women with children 1 year and under who have to work, because they know that they alone are responsible for their children. The welfare system as it stands encourages laziness. The children of these people will benefit more in the long run to see their parents earn a living.

Carmen Spencer, Cork, Ireland

I do hope the political gravy train is next but I doubt it.

Dave Bridge, Southport, UK

I am not against giving children in poverty the chance to make a good start in life. But it is clear that handing out money direct to parents - which they can spend how they like - is not working. Use a voucher system, that can be redeemed ONLY for things children need, and you have a winner.

Howard, Manchester,

Benefits should be a temporary aid for families who are struck by unexpected difficulties - not a longterm substitute for earned income. That there is a shortage of jobs is not relevant to the discussion - people are not required to work - only to LOOK for work!!! No one will starve.

Jennie, Sydney, Australia

What is wrong with our priorities when we demonize single mothers who need assistance from the state, and celebrate greedy bankers. It wasn't single mothers or benefits cheats that got us in this financial mess. No wonder we're going down.

Miss Dee, Tayside, UK

People should be licenced for reproduction. If they don't have what it takes to be an adequate parent (sufficient balance, health, income, somewhere safe for their child etc) then they should be put on a contraceptive. Children should not be accidents of the negligent.

Winstone C, Las Vegas,

As a single mum due to finish a degree in January I contacted jobcentre plus looking for part time work until my son starts school in August when I have a full time job lined up. I was told I would be better off on benefits, and despite insisting I want to work I was quickly transferred to the benefit helpline...

Zoe, Aberdeen, Scotland

As a divorced mother with two small children in the seventies I cleaned houses until my girls were at school full time then I got a full time office job from which I am retiring this week at 67 - have never claimed benefit in my life

Marguerite R Adam, WEST KILBRIDE, Scotland

If in doubt about serious issues take out the frustration on the less well off. I would like to remind this government we already have a system of medical testing regimes for people on incapacity benefit. 'Powers' to pen pushers in job centers. What next - public floggings

Bill, plymouth,

People on incapacity have to go see the Works and Pensions nominated doctor to continue with their claim for incapicity benafits ever year so lets have an end to this rubbish of having only to see your own doctor...they have to take money of someone to give it to bankers so if sick or single? TUFF

Peter, St Helens, Merseyside

This will be interesting, in this feminist atmosphere of 'women do no wrong, never <e>ever</e> criticize a femle' we should see some interesting debates. I favor personal responsibility, if you can't afford them don't have them. If you run into bad luck talk to your family first.

Mike S, Santa Cruz, CA, US

I am an American aged 63 who receives disability and works(We are allowed to earn up to 10,000 dollars and still receive disability!) I am a writer but the job I have now I just do from my computer. I'll bet more would work if they could work from home and be near hubby and kids.

Cat Callahan, Omaha,NE, USA

Labour can bully single mothers all they want. Ever since Thatcher, governments have ignored a sector of society that has sunk into a black hole of no opportunity or hope, putting them out of sight and out of mind.
Picking on single mothers will please the moralising mob, but won't solve anything.

Andi, West Midlands, England

I doubt that the children of middle class working mothers are responsible for massive crime sprees and knife attacks. The UK has bred generations of welfare layabouts and grifters, and wonders what went wrong.

Barbie, Los Angeles, UK

Single parents of children as young as one must work! Are they insane?!

Rowan, London,

Don't have children that you can afford. Its so simple and the rest of us manage to comply.

Jo Morris , London, uk

How about suggesting what jobs single mothers can do?
For instance, they can work from home, on the internet and take calls instead of routing to overseas call centres. The banks are being nationalised, perhaps we can all 'benefit' from this? Let's rebuild Britain!

Mike Sommers, London, England

The crazy sums of money that a serial mom gets distort the general picture. Benefits are not actually high. The benefits are there to help the children - who don't ask to be born. Do we want to live in a Dickensian society?

David B, Larkhall, UK

How many announcements about making welfare claiments go back to work have we had in the last 12 years?

This is just another typical NuLabour re-announcement of a previous "respond to the worries of the massess" which will not be put into effect and will be forgotten within a couple of weeks.

Steve, Coleshill, U.K.

margie , victoria, australia>> "What an over reaction! Children need their mothers around as they grow up." Sure they do. They also need to learn that you should not expect society to look after you unconditionally.

Jennie, Sydney, Australia

Well i will be voting conservative but would hope this policy of welfare reform is adopted by them..

Steve smith, Nr Scunthorpe, England

When will the Queen and her kids start a training course and begin looking for work?

Hambone Willie, Sarasota, FL, USA

This government clearly do not do joined up writing. James Purnell said, mothers with young babies or 1 year olds will remain on benefits. It does not take a rocket scientist to work out that they will always have a baby or a 1 yr old. Perhaps I should apply for his job!

bee, york,

Some people are just not capable of coping with work, whether it's a physical, mental or emotional reason - they shouldn't be forced into it. Where are all these jobs going to come from? Last but not least, Mothers should stay at home and look after their children. Why should the children suffer?

C McEwan, Argyll, UK

I would like to know what category I will belong to. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in March 08, I have used up ssp and also my 6 months entitlement from my employer. I am due to go into hospital again in January 2009 for more operations. Will I get incapacity benefit under the present rules

Maureen Cunningham, Nethercott Barton, Devon

In the uk, my (former) fiancée and I both worked. and couldn't afford to have children. This fact alone - that an honest, hard-working couple are denied the possibility of having children, should end the benefits (payed from the taxes of those with the RESPONSIBILITY not to scrounge off others).

Marco, Kraków, Poland

Single mothers are a cost of below 2% to the country's annual budget so, whoopie what a great saving! Hardly a dent on the national economy however, if £9345 a year for a single parent and 3 teenage children is a tremendous strain to the economy then fair enough!
As usual underhanded business deals put the weak to suffer.
It is this government, city fraudsters and the murky Northern Rocks who are bleeding the country dry

Tom, London, England

LIMIT CHILD BENEFIT TO ONE CHILD! Britain (and the world) are teeming with people, who all need energy, food, materials. Overpopulation is the ultimate cause of poverty, famine, loss of forests and fishstocks, and condemns us to wars over territory, oil, water. WHY PAY TO MAKE THE SITUATION WORSE?

gaz, Bournemouth, UK

@ Arun: "Pay every adult an allowance , in or out of work, of £100 a week, and end the £6,000 personal tax allowance to pay for it."

I'd go for that.

I would also go for a scheme where people can do voluntary work in exchange for a stipend. It would prompt a boom in all manner of social services.

dp, Birmingham ,

As usual genuine are being penalised in all of this. A family member has health problems, all backed up by doctors & specialists. All they have done is to take money from her under the new rules. This has literally taken food out of her daughters mouth. So much for ending child poverty. A disgrace

basha, Birmingham, UK

Stop spending money on training the unemployed, spend the money on the NHS. Private training providers should be kstopped from making money at the taxpayers expense. Labour have failed ,they always do, bring on the conservatives to sort the mess out and stop pandering to he underclass.

stewart, watford, England

Just where are the jobs coming from? end immigration and cheap labour,also it was G brown who decided to give so much money to families who produce children,suddenly pregnant women everywhere pushing huge buggies,lots from abroad,as he created the problem it is a bit rich now to castigate these mums

Jean, London, England

What do they class as seriously disabled. Where is the line drawn. I am disabled with arthritis and also lymphodema and asthma and my Hubby is my carer. I wouldnt class myself as seriously disabled in as much as I can do some things for myself. Yet if my Hubby was made to go to work I couldnt cope.

st, notts, uk

We need less 'looking for work' and endless training courses and more actual work - If some of these claimants do not find work after a resonable period of time, then they should do work in the community for their benefits. Benefits should be time limited and NI contribution related.

Marlene, Bradford,

I also find this idea of self respect gained by working in low paid squalid work incredible. Of course the people who propagate this idea are not in this boat themselves and neither are any members of their family.

conger, cardiff, wales

Simple question: who in the world would hire a Karen Matthews for *any* job?

The problems with this society go well beyond simple financial incentives.

Timon, Birmingham,

Is this why so many were needed from Eastern Europe?
Mike, Midlands

No, they are used to living ten to room and working for peanuts from the old Soviet Union days. They don't pay rent or tax on earnings so they undercut labour costs here.

kevin, Lincoln, UK

The real benefit cscroungers are the overpaid and corrupt consultants and local government 'business people' as well as the politicians in corporate pockets, and local govt.who keep generating the widescale fraud that is prevalent in this country.
Middle england slush fund. .. & .blame the poor!!

mark, london,

11 years later, after Frank Field was booted from front bench for proposing much the same, must therefore mean an election is an the way!!!

John Davison, Sauveterre, France

People also should think the case of immigrant workers who are paying taxes properly in return of nothing.Say some one on work permit lost his job, he is not allowed to benefit job seekers allowance. But government is ready to use their tax money to spread people like Mathews..

Great politics.

Ganesan, Chennai, India

should have been done 30 years ago. i am sick of paying taxes for girls who, in past years, lived far better than i could. i worked day and night and went without, they had colour tv and videos. now i pay my taxes in russia gladly. i will never again contribute to the waste that goes on in the uk.

peter jones, moscow,

Isn't it called 'playing the system'? I suppose the coin doesn't drop until the stage is reached when there aren't enough fit people left who are willing to work and pay taxes. Is this why so many were needed from Eastern Europe?

Mike, Midlands,

Heard all this before they re-announce it every year and the gullable public fall for it.

This is being announced purely to try and cover up all the bad news, the erosion of our civil liberties and the mess Labour is leaving the country in AGAIN!

Kurt, AmsterdaM,

This is just Labour pandering to the Conservative vote, you will hear them be tough immigration, benefit fraudsters etc in the near future.

steve tea, manchester, cheshire

Child benefit should be limited to a single child per mother.

Arnold Ward, Weybridge, Surrey, UK

Great news, I love it!

C Storey, Sheffield,

My friend, a single mother of two, insists on working. She would be financially better off on benefits! All benefits are cut because she's got the decency to work for a living!! She thinks that if she was still on benefits she'd be like some of her peers: bored, depressed, unfulfilled...

Lucy, London,

Policy on the hoof and a cheap and ineffective cherrypick of other already existing schemes. Reactive rather than pro-active policy making. Sigh...

Cathy, Sydney, Australia

So here we have the real "Politics Of Envy" - the working poor making unfounded claims about the supposed life of Riley about the jobless poor on less than £100 a week . If you want to make people work, then pay them a proper wage - making people work for £80 a week is nothing more than slave labour

Joe Carnavale, London,

About time too, do not forget that it was the government of the day who caused the problems, Brown being one of the worst perpetrators. I know a few people who are on incapacity benefit who are fitter than me, others sat on their backsides being able to afford to smoke and drink to their content.

Dave Madley, Alicante, Spain

Nu labours whip hand comes into play.
Gormless and co on four grand a week.
Might as well get ready for the labour Camps.
Open Prison UK.

Rick, newcastle, uK

I wouldn't want to be in charge of any of the violent young men you see at 'JobCentres' who flare up if they are late signing (having not been able to get out of bed before 1pm) and threaten to beat up anyone who threatens their benefit, if they are 'put to work'. Labour is out of touch, big-style.

D Short, London, UK

I worked for 5 years from when my son was 1 year old . Dropped him off at the nursery at 8am and picked him up at 6pm, arriving home at 6:30pm, he was given supper then went to bed. The next day the whole thing was repeated.
Unfortunately I have learnt the hard way: CHILDREN NEED THEIR MOTHERS!

muna, shipley,

High time this happened. I am sure there are genuine people on benefits but there also loads and loads who do not try to look for jobs and live on our taxes. That's unfair as they get everything handed to them without any effort.

Philip, London, Uk

overvalued houses in the form of mortgage relief for people without them giving something back?

Tony , Liverpool, uk

No one gets mortgage relief any more and haven't done for some time If you mean DWP paying your mortgage interest when you're unemployed that'sonly up to a certain amount.

JW, Spalding, England

I think you will find that most single mothers, no matter of what age or social status, will seek employment as soon as humanly possible after having their baby. The compelling force of having a reasonable income to enable some modicum of quality in one's life ensures that scenario will continue.

George Pike, Launceston, Australia

Who is going to pay the £150/week childcare costs? What jobs are they going to do? How is it that when it comes to handing out billions to banks, the state is 'pragmatic', and when it comes to welfare claimants, the state would rather see them picking litter on the motorway for nothing?

DT, Kettering, UK

Make the single mothers stay at home with their families - the family will soon put a stop to all the children they have. I do not see why I should pay and pay and pay for the human rights of these people. What about my human rights!

Helen, Milton Keynes, England

The UK is going bankrupt, if the abled bodied can't get jobs because of the recession, how can the disabled? Wait until you get sick, then you will be a lot more sympathetic to the disabled. The problem with the UK is the horrendous waste of resources and money and the sale of everthing else.

DT, Dallas, USA

New Zealand is a bit kinder, we ask them to work when their children are school age. Who will care for the infants??

Dee, Nelson, NZ

Single mothers should have benefits cut if they continue to have more than one child. As a single person who is responsible of my reproductive means and use my God given common sense to not have babies out of wedlock or unless I can afford them, I am stunned that I still have to pay for others' kids

Debbi, leicester, uk

This article fails to address the feather bedded elite of unemployable who are maintained in palatial style at westminister at taxpayers expense. An elite who at the first sign of a threat to their jobs turn on the underclasses who they have created.

Dave, Chorley,

It's a great idea but will not work or more to the point be allowed to work. With the first challenge to the European Court on Human Rights the great plan will have to be dropped. Labour can blame Straw and Blair they introduced this rubbish into the country.

Baz, Christchurch,

In the US we have the policy to receive unemployment you have to be currently looking for work as well. We also provide a time frame for that it will be given if it was because you were forced out of work. In poverty cases it may last longer.

Dustin Von Holten, Naperville, USA

I think everone should be entitled not to work...it should be a choice...the hard nose attitudes of some of the not very nice people who post on this site make our culture feel like a (cold) place to live, not the peeps who claim (small) benefits for a very low quality of life.

paul crame , ashford kent , none

As an American who has watched our welfare rolls grow exponentially over the decades-----the stupidity of all of us, citizenry and politicians alike never ceases to flabbergast me. When will we ever learn? Paying people to stay poor does not work.

fleur, YORKTOWN, usa

The working class unemployed have been bashed for years, and labelled feckless etc. This downturn will produce much bigger scroungers. I dont mind paying for housing benefit, but why should we subsidise overvalued houses in the form of mortgage relief for people without them giving something back?

Tony , Liverpool, uk

Is it too much to expect those who benefit from society's generosity to show a little gratitude, respect and cooperation for that which is provided for them? Too many believe benefits are a sinecure; a lifelong entitlement never to be challenged.

Bob Evans, Lowestoft,

I think the Government is targeting the wrong group of claimants. The biggest scam in this country is Incapacity Benefit. Alcoholics, drug addicts, the depressed & malingerers (oh my back) claim it. I know of large groups of people in my home town that claim it. Why? Everyone knows, its easy to get.

Graham, St. Albans, uk

Make a single payment benefit regardless of status. Make it smaller than the Minimum Wage. DO NOT pay for children DO NOT pay council rebates for rent and tax DO NOT pay for disabilities. you will be surprised how the dole queue disappears. Money talks, MPs know it, they have kept the J Lewis list.

Mike, Exeter, UK

I completely agree with this. Far too many people are encouraged to feed off the hard working people like leeches. If a mother can't find a job that caters to her needs as a mother (time wise), then she obviously isn't looking hard enough.

fiona, falmouth,

Women like Karen Matthews will always manage to have a young child to care for who will keep them on benefits.
If there is a shortage of childcare, train some of the single moms as childcare workers and set them up in community halls or churches so that other moms can work.

Mary M., USA,

For 25 years I employed people in UK, and also rented houses, mainly to the unemployed. Most of my tenants 'earned' more on the 'dole' than those employed. People who come from a working family tend to work themselves and vice-versa. UK unfortunately now have 'generations' of unemployed, wont change

Shaun Thomas, darlington, UK

I've been on a mandatory 'course'. It consisted of sitting in a room turning the pages of a newspaper and surfing the web from 3 hours or all day. Provided by a private company.

Bill, London,

For all the people telling us children need their mothers, have you read the Matthew's case? Or the Baby P case that is sparking this debate?

Paul, Singapore,

Pay every adult an allowance , in or out of work, of £100 a week, and end the £6,000 personal tax allowance to pay for it. A couple would then have £200 a week as a right , enough for food and shelter , and would get 66p of every £1 they work therefater. So there would be no incentive not to work

arun, London, uk

About time! This country has been far too generous to those who take in society yet give very little. Matthews is a clear example of what society created by giving benefits that gave her an attitude worthy of a rat rather than the tools for a successful life.

Mohammed Al Habib, London, UK

If you go into any dreary town in the UK at lunchtime, it's always populated by able-bodied, unwilling to work, male chavs claiming benefits and drinking the proceeds. Single mothers are not the problem. However, having said that, I think it is good for their self-esteem and health to work part-time

Geoff, Leeds,

If there are no jobs the unemployed can do community jobs and work for their benefit - good for them to get the work ethics. Great idea but it will never happen - no doubts the legal aid bandwagon of solicitors will generate more income for themselves by arguing it is breaching their human rights

Mitch, Essex, UK

this government is amazingly stupid; the child care will cost more than the benefits and harm the children. the only jobs available will be for slave wages and those women will NEVER vote Labour as long as they live - mind you the Tories would be harsher and more cruel.

peter c, Devizes, Wessex

To all the bleeding hearts claiming children of working mothers are at a disadvantage to or cause more trouble than non-working ones, I suspect the evidence proves the complete opposite.

Damian, London, UK

The partisanship of the current government is disgusting . Whatever happened to care and consideration of working people by the Labour movement. No doubt child labour laws will soon be amended to send 12 year olds back to non-exisitent work.
Time to read George Orwell and Lord Keynes again!

Graham Telfer, Kyoto, Japan

Ah, the periodical welfare re-shuffle proposals. Creating these new groups of people and sets of rules will keep the bureaucrats busy enough so as to justify their existance. I rank welfare recipients as more useful to society than policy makers; those on benefits don't have any power to corrupt.

Dave, Newcastle, England

What an over reaction! Children need their mothers around as they grow up.

margie , victoria, australia

About time. The genuine people who want to work won't be bothered. The ones who have no desire to work will be forced to look.

Pete, Leeds, UK

hmmmm........me thinks more government flannel gift wrapped with a different coloured ribbon.The whole current system should be consigned to the dustbin. People who work and contribute should be rewarded and people who refuse (excepting those with genuine health problems) should not be.

Bar, Manchester, England

They'll never get it through.

Edwin, Bucharest,

"benefit claimants will be forced either to look for a job or prepare for work if they want to .. receive state handouts, under a shake-up of the welfare state."
Er, exactly as it was in 1985, when I was on the dole after leaving college.
Absolutely nothing new here.

Mike, Brighton,

In Sweden they are planning to spend more on benefits and training - hard times are here.
In the UK?
Beat the poor and jobless harder. Punish all for the crimes of the few.

This country is becoming more and more nasty and unpleasant.

Dave Hands, birmingham, uk,

Part of todays problems with youth stem from the fact that their mothers work. If more mothers were at home for their children after school there would be fewer instances of violent crime amongst our young. Childcare is in short supply and is expensive.. who will pay it?

A child needs his mother.

jaki, Long Sutton, Lincs

Of course there are some shirkers and layabouts taking advantage of the system. But are we to penalise the rest who are genuinely trying to survive on little, at a time when finding worthwhile employment is going to be very difficult? In a labour shortage incentivise people to work by all means.

Paul Freeman, London, England

Earning more in unemployment benefit than with work (£1,200 a month!) is just madness. If you cannot find a job, it is another matter; but if there /is/ a job for you, you cannot just say that you prefer not to do anything and be maintained by the taxpayers instead.

Harry, Oxford,

One flaw in the scheme Mr Brown and co have missed.
There will be no jobs!

rob, ashbourne, uk

So now to stay on benefits for life they need to have a child every year and not every seven years. That will help a lot in an overcrowded country in an overcrowded world. Still there will be more jobs for social workers so not all is bad.

D.L. Stephens, York, england

ah adding yet more children to the generation brought up by institutions 'nursery' instead of within a family environment.....

wendy, manchester, uk

"A third group, including ... mothers of young babies, will continue to receive “unconditional” benefits."

Won't this just induce an annual baby boom amongst the feckless?

Bill, Suzhou, China

I was under the impression that every benefit claimant has always had to be "willing to work" or "looking for work".

If this is a new plan, and it's not the case now, what the heck have they been doing for years then to justify unemployment benefits?

Laura Roberts, London, UK

Yet another "we are getting tough" Government initiative that will never happen. Remember taking yobs to cashpoints?

Fred James, Worcester, UK

I presume women who exclusively breastfeed their children on demand will be encouraged to take their children into work with them (until they are two years old. This is a WHO recommendation for optimum health) and exercise this right? How many jobs in Britain where this is practical? Or facilitated?

sam huntsmith, reading, england

What ever next from the cruel britainia knee-jerkism of Nu-labour ?
-training children as chimney sweeps perhaps ?

Stuart Andrews, Nelson, New Zealand

Purnell bases his strategy on Incapacity Benefit on the view that the Disability Discrimination Act has removed the barriers to people with disabilities entering work. Not true. My son took a public body to a Tribunal. No legal aid, but they had two solicitors and a barrister. No chance of success.

James, Corwen, UK

About time too.

Rob, London, UK

Doubt this will make a real difference, but glad that the govt is finally aware that lazy people shouldnt be able to live off the taxpayer. I have a six month old daughter who attends local authorit nursery, I work full time so does my husband and theres no reason other people shouldnt work as well

Nic, sunderland, england

Hmmm, Brown sticking one of his pretenders with a fatally unpopular "policy initiative" ??

L. Stewart, Cranbrook, UK

At last we have more justice in the uk. People on benefit who are fit for work or voluntary work should do these to earn their benefit. Some may claim to be unfit to work,but if they did work part-time or even a few hours a week they would start to feel better, and build up their confidence.

Jessica Habibi, Southwick, UK

To generate a net income of £400 per week, Sharon Matthews would have needed a job paying around £30,000 per annum. Not working and collecting state handouts was a 'no-brainer' from her point of view. But why on earth are we all acceding to this system?

J Jenkins, York,