Support for stopping benefits for overweight people who don't seek treatment is only slightly lower than for drug or alcohol addicts
The Conservatives appear to be backing off their plans to stop benefits to people with weight or drug issues who do not seek treatment, even as a new YouGov poll for Red Box shows strong support from voters. By two-to-one (57% to 28%) the nation favours the plan on obesity, and by nearly three-to-one (64% to 23%) on drug addiction.
But the policy is highly divisive: we found that 22% thought it "uncaring and heartless and would probably not do any good anyway"; 18% thought it was uncaring but could lead to better decisions; 35% thought it "a caring and considerate approach, as it will be better for people affected in the long term"; while 14% viewed it as caring but thought it wouldn't work.
