The One Show on Benefit Fraud

The One Show just had a piece about benefit fraud. It costs us £800,000,000 a year. This is a serious issue of course. However no mention was made of the far greater fraud being carried about by private banks. Lets put that £800,000,000 figure into context

• Northern Rock alone took £100,000,000,000. Benefit fraud in comparison costs 0.8% of that figure.
• In total the government has spent £150,000,000,000 bailing out private banks. Benefit fraud in comparison costs 0.53%

Is benefit fraud a serious issue? Yes, it takes away money that real claimants need. But it pales in comparison to how we are enriching the top 10% of income earners who own the majority of shares. Yet we are telling those on benefits or defrauding that benefit system to learn personal responsibility and get a job! 0.53% is the definition of tiny. It is a shame no one pointed this out on the show. Shows like this, and papers like the free Metro are far more important than papers like The Guardian or the FT. Millions of people watch the One Show. I e-mailed in, as of yet my comments haven't been read out.