DLA pay-outs '˜unsustainable'

Mr Ferguson said, “I was shocked to learn that almost 210,000 people in Northern Ireland – one in every nine – receive Disability Living Allowance.”

He went on, “While we all know people who are deserving recipients of DLA the current level of pay-outs is unsustainable.”

He said the rise of more than 23% in the last 10 years does raise worrying issues.

“TUV believes that as many people as possible should be gainfully employed. Sadly much of the focus in the last Assembly has been on maintaining a benefits system here which is much more generous than the rest of the UK.”