Politicians have lambasted a decision to reassess the incapacity benefits received by nearly 2,000 people in Wokingham, calling it a “terrifying prospect”.

Despite the borough having the lowest number of people receiving this benefit, the Government has included the area in its UK-wide review of those who “do and don’t play by the rules”.

From 2010 the 1,850 people currently claiming incapacity benefit in the borough will be reassessed by the Department of Work and Pensions.

Any of those people judged to be fit for some sort of work will be expected to seek employment or enrol in training. Those who refuse could lose their benefits.

This week Wokingham MP John Redwood and Bracknell MP Andrew MacKay hit out at the reassessments, proposed in Alistair Darling’s budget last Wednesday.

- Full story in this week's Wokingham Times.