Over 800,000 people drop incapacity benefit claims

David Cameron with the Conservative Party Chairman Grant Shapps Credit: Press Assocation

The Conservative Party Chairman Grant Shapps has praised his party's welfare reforms after new figures revealed that nearly a million people had dropped their claims for incapacity benefit.

New figures released by the Department of Work and Pensions showed that 878,300 people dropped their claims rather than face the new medical tests introduced by the coalition.

"Our reforms are about freeing people from a system of dependency that's trapped them and their families for decades - and people are getting back into work as a result," said Mr Shapps.

"These figures demonstrate how the welfare system was broken under labour and why our reforms are so important."