I want to write my illness is depression and for 25 years I am sick and tired of all the usual comments about how people view people on incapacity benefit.Yes there is cheating on benefits.We all seem to be classed alike.There is too much ignorance from people who has never suffered depression.

Philip Pollard, Hull, United Kingdom

My mum is on incapacity after being in hospital with a serious condition which effected her physically and mentally and could relapse.
She worked her entire life and never claimed benefits. i worry this could make her anxiety and health worse.
I just hope they dont become to harsh with it.

Ms Michelle Leonards, gillingham, kent, England

If they want to save money then say NO handouts to immigrants.
The rest of europe dosnt hand out cash like the uk does and they all wonder why they all want to come here.

As for the drugs thing, what are they going to do make drugs testing manditory before handing out dole.

Zim, Wolverhampton, UK

Kinda agree, nothing wrong with a few hours here & there those claiming benefit, specially drug/beer spenders. (Immigrants diff argument)

Dole life isnt much & shouldnt be done too much.

If they over do it, expect crime levels to rise VERY HIGH as they WILL rebel against it.

Rob, Leeds, UK

I am currently on incapacity benefit. I want to work, but I am finding it impossible to get a suitable job and the resulting stress is precisely what is making me ill. So now I am to be forced to perform a job for which I am unsuitable, an act that will exacerbate my condition? Wish I could emigrate

Ash, Oldbury,

What a great principal ,pay them for what the can do not what they can't do!

Now apply same to the MPs themselves lets say before they can stand for election they have to sit and pass a "how to run a country test"

BYE BYE LABOUR GOVERNMENT!

George, Haddington, Scotland

Its about time ... why should hard working people pay taxes to fund these lazy lay abouts ...

geedale, leeds, west yorkshire

Bill Harding - if you know a benefit cheat and are as "disgusted" as you say, why have you not informed the authorities? It's all well and good moaning but if you want change you need to stand up and be counted, otherwise you're simply part of the problem.

Doug Bates, St. Albans,

its a disgrace, they gonna let kids starve to death, how many people to die before these very same mp's have to be responsible for what they have done, desprate people will take desprate measures, this is going to increase violence, mugging's as never seen before, more criminals for the public.

jay, bradford,

Getting people to take responsibility for supporting themselves if they possibly can is okay, but only while the economy is stable. I've a feeling if there's a recession, 2 years to find a suitable job may not be sustainable for someone no longer young and entirely fit and healthy.

Keith, London,

If claimants are to be forced to work for benefits they should at least be paid the minimum wage.

Stephen, Sheffield,

My favourite's the bloke I know who's been on benefit for ten years with "foot problems." He walks dogs for cash. A retired family doctor was sacked from the assessment panel for daring to declare one lead-swinger fit for work. A lass I know works for £6,700 a year and pays tax. Disgusting, I say.

Bill Harding, York,

It's about time the system was changed. Although there are people unable to work through ill health etc, I am fed up of my tax money supporting lazy people who would prefer to sign on than earn a salary. There are plenty of jobs around, but are considered 'beneath' them, like crop picking.

Carol, Oxford, UK

@Glynn. Getting money from your fellow, tax paying citizens is not a human right. If you choose to starve to death rather than work. Most other countries don't have any kind of benefit system. Nobody is being "forced" to do anything, if parents refuse to work it is THEY who deny their children.

Jim, London,

another load of spin aimed at a part of the population who can,t fight back.this government say that this idea is aimed at benifit cheats which seems a bit rich coming from mps who voted to keep thier expenses & thier lewis accounts for second homes.pot calling kettle springs to my mind

brian rice, halifax, uk

Oh dear - all sounds a bit familiar to those who have memories longer than a gnats. Might we expect that the poor old Doctors will be negotiating some extra cash for all this ?extra? work?

Jim Bunton, Carcassonne, France

I have to say this has to be probably the best initiative the government has come up with in years, i just wonder why they decided to do it now and where they got the idea from?

Eitherway, a good move and hopefully, they'll start to restructure the public pension deficit/ who is eligible too...

john, London,

It is a way foreward if only the government could find another name for the project. How could it be fair that criminals are send to do community service and a non offender is asked to do the same; because they are poor or ill. Community service for the poor could be called Community involvemment .

Rebecca Wilde, London, UK

Some years ago I accompanied a friend whose benefits were to be assesed before one of the governments panels. The panel all professionals and at God only knows what cost/hour to the taxpayer reduced payment by 50p/week.
To me it was a pointless excercise but I don't suppose the panel complained.

Mike O Connor, Plymouth,

I think the Gov. will use common sense to filter out the fakes. I will not expect those people over 55years of age to be drag to work while there are very young ones of high strenth and energy roaming the street.. Many elderly ones have worked hard in the past. contributed into the national pot.

Rebecca Wilde, London, UK

What's the problem? People who will not support their families lose them to adoptive parents who will bring them up to be positive and functioning members of society. Society as a whole has a human right too - the right not to have to support useless spongers.

David, Moreton

David Cobb, Moreton in Marsh, UK

Another directives from push papers. The last job I had was in education. I worked hard and volunteer for few months before getting a FT position. After 6 months, the same directing class, decided, a reform should be introduced and I was made redundant with 50% of the staff.
What a waste of my time.

lauren, London, UK

Will volunteering for charities be an acceptable form of work for benefits? I volunteered for a nature reserve when I was unemployed. I really enjoyed it and it gave me lots of confidence and new skills when I applied for jobs.

Luke Nicolaides, London, UK

Unemplyment benefits for immigrants should be directly linked to contributions previously made by them. Incapacity benefits should exclude previously known conditions and other than under specific circumstances, should be covered by contributions to an insurance scheme.

Richard Lees, Ashton-under-Lyne, England

Nothing will change. People will just make themselves 'unhireable'. Make too many mistakes at work, and you'll have to be let go. It'll be a brave government who lets a family starve. Thats the stuff which makes headlines and sacks ministers.

Arthur, Newcastle,

This it the eighth Minister in the same job since 1997 that has said the same. Don't hold your breath, more billions will be poured down the neck of the ill, feckless or lazy.

Roger, Surrey.,

Here we go again , the going gets tough so lets pick on the weakest members of society who can't fight back. And get the support of the exploiting capatalist left who put us here in the first place. Bullies in the playground , you are a coward Brown and so is your cabinet . Fix the real isssues.

Peter, Scotland,

New system means new rules and guidance. The workshy who play the current system will continue to play the new system. Genuine claimants with genuine problems will be the ones who lose out.

Alcoholics also get Incapacity Benefit - that's how they can afford to drink every day. Why are they exempt from the new addiction treatment programme?

Surprised no-one has suggested bringing back the workhouse treadmill to generate electricity.

steve woods, wooler, northumbria,

Here's a novel idea thats fair to everyone and stops having to pay out to the low lifes that never worked a day in their lives. For every year you work and pay tax & NI contributions you accrue 2 weeks potential benefits if you lose your job. Unfortunately this would never happen under New Labour.

Mike, Alicante, Spain

i.ve been out of work since 2002 due to a lower back problem and depression. I've tried working but the medicine i take for it makes me sleepy and clumsy and i can't sit up for too long nor walk far. What will happen to someone in my situation? i'm really worried now that i will be opressed!

jack, southall, uk

In a family where the claimant gets money for the kids and partner, only the claimants benefit can be cut or reduced. You cannot starve a claimants family or partner to death because they refuse to do community work. So maybe you save £40 out of £250 a week. Causes more child poverty that's all.

Tony, Bury, UK

What is the ultimate sanction though? How can you "force" someone to work if he chooses to starve for the sake of showing the govt. off? Surely that would not sit right with UK's sense of human rights. What about single parents who refuse to work? Denying them welfare also means denying the children

Glynn, Kingston,