Britain's £4.2bn sickness benefits bill revealed

Almost 900,000 people have spent a decade or more on sickness benefits at a cost of £4.2 billion a year to the taxpayer, according to the Government.

Employment Minister Chris Grayling described the figures as "outrageous" and promised action to get people off benefits and back into work.

The disclosure comes as Prime Minister David Cameron promised to cut the cost of Britain's welfare bill in the Government's drive to tackle Britain's record deficit.

A study of the latest statistics led by Mr Grayling found there were 889,000 people who spent all of the last 10 years on sickness benefits, at an average annual cost of £4.2 billion.

"The sheer amount of people who have been left behind without any help or support to get back into work is outrageous," Mr Grayling said.

"Thousands of people who have simply been cast aside by a welfare system that does nothing but put them in a queue for benefits and then forgets about them.

"Well those days are over. We will no longer accept a system which writes people off at a drop of the hat and expects the taxpayer to foot the bill."

The Government has already said it intends to reassess incapacity benefit claimants to see if they are capable of working.

Pilot projects are due to start in Burnley and Aberdeen to see whether claimants can start work right away or need help through the Government's work programme.

The scheme is due to be rolled out nationwide from next year.