Hospital-detained criminals in the UK to lose benefit payments
The UK government proposes new regulations to stop killers and serious sex offenders in hospitals from receiving up to £800 a month in universal credit.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Serious offenders detained in hospitals will lose their welfare benefit payments.
- New regulations will be presented in Parliament on Tuesday to close this financial loophole.
- The policy is estimated to save tens of millions of pounds annually for the government.
- The campaign was driven by grieving families, including those affected by the Nottingham attacks.
The UK government is set to introduce new measures to strip killers and serious sex offenders held in psychiatric hospitals of their state welfare benefits, following relentless campaigns led by the families of victims.
The upcoming regulations are scheduled to be laid out in Parliament on Tuesday, aiming to eliminate what officials describe as double provision. This loophole has allowed violent criminals to continue collecting up to £800 a month in universal credit for years, despite having their board and lodging fully funded by the National Health Service.
Government officials stated that closing this loophole will save an estimated tens of millions of pounds every year. Subject to parliamentary approval, the changes are expected to take effect early next year.
This legislative shift highlights the ongoing friction between social welfare provisions and criminal justice frameworks. Historically, offenders receiving hospital treatment orders maintained their legal eligibility for general livelihood benefits. Addressing this gap marks a significant reassessment of public expenditure and victim support priorities.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The primary impetus for this policy shift stems from advocacy groups formed by victims' relatives, notably Emma Webber, mother of Barnaby, who was fatally stabbed during the Nottingham attacks on June 13, 2023. Webber met with Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden on Monday to discuss the regulatory amendments.
Webber told broadcasters that the move was long overdue and urged ministers to reallocate the saved funds directly to victims' families to ensure they receive adequate advocacy and support networks, noting that current resources leave families severely underserved.
Dr. Sanjoy Kumar, father of victim Grace, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that their campaign has always centered on fairness and accountability. He argued that taxpayers should not be expected to fund benefits for incarcerated individuals who already consume substantial public resources for their medical treatment.
"Killers and rapists should not pocket benefits from a hospital bed."
Helen Whately, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary
The proposed regulations apply to individuals subject to Section 37 of the Mental Health Act 1983 and Section 57A of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995. Covered offenses include manslaughter, attempted murder, wounding with intent, rape, and child sexual assault. Murder itself is excluded from the scope because hospital orders are not a sentencing option for that specific conviction.
Source: BBC Politics
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