A TUC-backed report has accused the government of being dishonest about the UK's 'compensation culture' in order to justify cutting basic health and safety protections at work. It warns that thousands of workers suffering deadly occupational diseases are being denied payouts as a result of these cutbacks.
The report, by the workers' health journal Hazards, shows that far from being a compensation free-for-all, as ministers claim, the number of people actually receiving awards for work-related injuries or diseases has fallen by 60% over the last decade - down from 219,183 in 2000/01 to 87,655 in 2011/12.
The report, based on official government figures, shows even the families of those dying from occupational diseases have little chance of securing a payout.
