Keir Starmer seems to think so, but what does he know?

"Claiming benefits is a “lifestyle choice” for some welfare recipients, Sir Keir Starmer has said.

In his strongest comments to date on Britain’s ballooning welfare bill, the Prime Minister said the Government would “never tolerate voluntary worklessness”.

Sir Keir’s remarks come amid growing concerns over Britain’s long-term sickness bill, which is forecast to hit £100bn by the end of the decade.

“Make no mistake — worklessness as a lifestyle choice goes against the fundamental ethos of the Labour Party as a vehicle for the aspirations of working people,” he wrote in an article for The Times.

“Our reforms to employment rights are a landmark shift in restoring dignity and security at work. We will make work pay. But we will never tolerate voluntary worklessness.”

The Prime Minister went on to describe fraudulent benefit claims as a “scandal”."

Posted By: paulg on June 3rd 2026 at 17:17:35

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