Chaos in the capital: Police watch helplessly as a fire rages in north London. Today it emerged that 40 per cent of riot suspects were on some kind of benefit
The Welfare State
Too sick or lazy to 'work' but feeling fine enough to riot and burn down London
A total of 100 of the suspects were claiming disability living allowance and there were a further 60 on incapacity benefits, reports the UK Daily Mail.
So far 1,344 people have appeared before the courts over the looting and widespread disorder which swept across Britain in early August.
40% OF RIOTERS ON BENEFITS
40 per cent of the suspected rioters were on benefits, figures have revealed.
1,344 people have appeared before the courts.
- Total suspects on benefits: 530 (some are on more than one benefit)
- Jobseekers Allowance: 280
- Income Support: 110
- Employment and Support Allowance: 100
- Disability Living Allowance: 100
- Incapacity Benefit: 60
- Carer's Allowance: 10
However, for all serious crimes committed last year, 48 per cent of defendants were on benefits.
The four nights of violence in August were sparked by police shooting dead father-of-four and suspected gangster Mark Duggan in north London.
There were calls for those involved in rioting and looting to have their benefits taken away from them and an e-petition attracted more than 240,000 signatures.
Thug: A rioter hurls a missile at police in Peckham, London, during four nights of disorder in August
Amid calls for rioters to lose their entitlements, Iain Duncan Smith said at the time: 'We already accept that if people who are receiving benefits do not, are not prepared to seek work, take the work that's available to them, we take the benefit off them.
'And if you go to prison we take your benefit off you.
'So what we're looking at is, for criminal charges, should we take the benefit? And the answer is yes.'
Trouble - Although less than one in ten were part of a gang, 53% of suspects were under 21
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