Jacob Rees-Mogg – who alongside his wife has a combined wealth of over £100 million – has suggested that the benefits system is being used as a “lifestyle opportunity” by some people.
The former business secretary appeared on Sky News to defend moves by the chancellor to bring in tougher rules on benefits in a bid to get more people into work.
Jeremy Hunt used his speech at the Conservative Party conference to promise the national living wage will increase to at least £11 an hour from April.
But alongside that he will look again at the benefit sanctions regime to make it harder for people to claim welfare while refusing to take “active steps” to move into work, with proposals due to be set out in November’s Autumn Statement.
Defending the moves, Rees-Mogg said: “The benefits system should be there as a safety net, not as a lifestyle opportunity.”
The basic standard allowances for Universal Credit are £368.74 per month if you’re single and £578.82 per month if you’re a couple, which works out at £91 and £144 a week respectively.
Rees-Mogg, conversely, is trousering around £750 an hour on top of his £86,584 MP’s salary in his role at GB News.
Related: Voters not interested in my bank balance, says Sunak