Last Modified: 18 Jul 2008 Source: PA News Nearly 300,000 heroin and crack cocaine users in England are claiming state benefits, the Department for Work and Pensions said. A report said about 270,000 "problematic drug users" were claiming in 2006 - making up 6% of the total number of working-age individuals on benefits. In contrast, just 1.1% of the whole of England's working-age population are estimated to be heroin or crack users. The research by the universities of Bath and Glasgow found the proportion was greater for younger age groups, with around 7.4% of claimants under 25 years being drug users. The majority of drug users accessing benefits are male (76%) and there is a regional variation, with the highest prevalence being in London. Dr Linda Bauld, of Bath University's Department of Social and Policy Sciences, said:...
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