Benefits stigma means £10bn goes unclaimed

Almost three-quarters of claimants feel a degree of shame about taking money from the state

People enter a job centre
(Image credit: BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images)

Nearly three-quarters of people who rely on working-age benefits say they feel embarrassed about claiming them, according to research carried out on behalf of The Independent.

Exclusive polling conducted by OnePulse found the vast majority of claimants felt shame "either sometimes, most or all the time". In addition, two-thirds of those surveyed who are in work felt that feeling that way was appropriate.

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