Sick claimants to face ‘tough love’

Ministers want to extend the concept of “conditionality” used to force the jobless to seek work to welfare payments for those with health complaints as well.

A series of pilots around the country for what is being touted as a “tough love” approach by Downing Street sources will be announced before Christmas.

Chancellor George Osborne is seeking ways to slash £10 billion more from the welfare budget by 2016/17 on top of £18 billion of cuts already announced.

Claimants would be expected to attend regular sessions with a health care professional who could require them to attend therapy.