[url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-20897681-full article[/url



Under the proposals, overweight benefit claimants could have their money docked if they refuse exercise regimes prescribed by doctors.



Smart cards would be brought in to monitor the use of leisure centres, meaning local authorities could reduce welfare payments for those who fail to follow their GP's advice.



I'm not sure the latter has been quite thought through. What would be to stop Mr Golightly swiping in, and going for a couple of burgers and a milkshake in the cafe, before going back home?



Fat chance of any of this coming in, or a sign of things to come? We already have discrimination in health service provision against smokers, and those unfortunate enough to be elderly and ill. I suppose picking on fat benefit claimants is just a natural progression.

The next stage in the demonisation of anyone on benefits. Helps to promulgate an idea that only those on benefits/out of work are obese, that they spend their days doing absolutely nothing whatsoever, and that they're a drain on decent (slim) society.



It'll be fun to see what Porky Pickles thinks of this.

Maybe he'll be forced to cut his departmental biscuit busget (highest in Whitehall allegedly)?

I see its Westminster Council again! Seems a hotbed of Nazi philosophy. Nothing seems to have changed since Shirley Porter's day. Another entitled person of ......

Divide and rule, classic Eton warfare techniques.

Why should it not apply to him? He's also in receipt of funds from the public purse, just much more of them than a benefit claimant.

Well indeed.



And BG's right. Unfortunately, many people will be all too ready to fall for it.

Spot on there Minty. The DM has been in its high glory this week demonising the disabled day before yesterday, the unemployed yesterday & today and means testing pensioners today. All in all the DM have done exactly what they have been told to do by IDS.



Big changes to the benefit system are implimented from April and all of these stories like the ones the OP linked are nothing but propaganda and divide and rule tatics. But its not working......even the faithful DM readers are turning against the very paper they worship

Would this be IDS the thick – or the liar? That IDS?



Oh – and in response to Dally earlier: recent stories state that Pickles's departmental biscuit bill has [irisen[/i by £10,000 in the past year. What are they eating with their coffee? Golden garibaldis?

You can tell those in our gym that have been sent by their doctor to get some exercise. Usually not wearing training gear. They'll do a (literal) couple of minutes on the treadmill, wander about a bit, get tangled up in cable machine, sit down for a while, go on the cross trainer for a couple of more minutes, sit on a bench but not do anything....and make that last an hour or so.

They usually smell bad too.

That would be the thick, lying IDS. The one that lied to the nation and said that Labour spending was up by 58% when it was in fact 8% and the IDS that lied to the nation and said that Tax credits had risen by 20% when in fact an HMRC report showed it to be only 8.8%. Yes thats him, the thick, lying, tory, to$$er.





I actually went to one of these Council run things. It was a get healthy lifestyle programme which my physio thought would benefit me in my rehabilitation after my joint replacements. I was looking for somewhere where I could go quite cheaply and with expert advice and do gentle exercise because I have a lot of muscle wastage. What I got was a cross between Slimming World and a discount to my nearest private Gym (which is DW or whatever it is now). I was told I had to attend weekly meetings and given a diet sheet to fill out which is not what I wanted, I know how to eat healthy and it wasn't about what I put in my mouth, more about gentle excersise. I was told I would get a 10% reduction in monthly fees at my local gym which I couldn't afford and I didn't want to get tied in particularly, this was supposed to be more about my rehab. Needless to say I only attended once because even the advisor told me this wasn't the programme for me, it was more for people who didn't have a clue about healthy eating, diet or excersise.

And ever since they arrived the value of the machine you like to use has been tumbling.