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Barnsley East and Mexborough, and Bolsover near Chesterfield, were both in the top 20. In both areas 37% of disability benefit claimants had been receiving payments for at least a decade.

In Barnsley East and Mexborough, 2,670 people have been on the sick since at least 1998, while in Bolsover 2,130 people have been on sickness benefits for 10 years or more.

Also included in the top 150 areas for the proportion of long-term disability benefit claimants were:

Barnsley Central with 2,280 claimants of 10 years' standing – 36% of disability benefit claimants.

 

Don Valley with 1,730 – 36 per cent.

 

Barnsley West and Penistone with 1,370 - 35%.

 

Doncaster North with 1,860 – 35 per cent.

 

North East Derbyshire with 1,450 – 35 per cent.

 

Bassetlaw with 1,920 – 33 per cent.

 

Chesterfield with 1,760 – 32 per cent.

Barnsley- Sickest Town in South Yorkshire

AREAS of South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire have some of the highest numbers of people on long-term sickness benefit in Britain.

 

Figures released in Parliament show the 150 constituencies with highest number of claimants and the numbers of claimants on the sick for 10 years or more.

Tories said the figures showed not enough is being done by the Government to help disabled people back to work

Dr Spencer Pitfield, candidate in the new Penistone and Stocksbridge seat, highlighted the number of Barnsley constituencies that are included in the figures.

He said: "These figures show that, yet again, Barnsley has failed to benefit from a Labour government and Labour MPs who promise much but deliver little. We deserve better."

No Sheffield constituencies were among the areas highlighted in the statistics.

The Conservatives say there should be a reassessment of all incapacity benefit claimants coupled with individualised back-to-work support or those assessed as able to work.

 

Dr. Spencer Pitfield