Dole-bludging soccer fans in for shock

Press, 19 June 1986, Page 27

Dole-bludging soccer fans in for shock

By

ROBIN CHARTERIS

in London Dozens of jobless English soccer fans living it up in Mexico for the World Cup could be in for a rude cash shock when they fly home from their month in the sun. Instead of picking up dole cheques for up to £4OO ($1100) each, they could face a hefty fine or even a jail sentence if they try to claim for the time they were away. According to published reports and photographs from Mexico, many young men, mainly from the unemployment black spot of Liverpool, are sipping pina coladas with local ladies beside the pools of luxury hotels such as the £75 ($210) a night Hyatt Regency. To the further annoy-

ance of many in Britain, some have been photographed wearing T-shirts emblazoned with “D.H.S.S. World Tour 1986.” (D.H.S.S. is the Department of Health and Social Security, which administers unemployment payments.) Conservative members of Parliament have led the clamour against the dole-bludgers, demanding an inquiry into their champagne lifestyles. Fleet Street newspapers have supported the protests, and the D.H.S.S. has said it will investigate any complaint about named individuals. One English fan pictured in national newspapers with a bikini-clad senorita in his arms is

sure to be in trouble. In a front-page article, the “Sun” newspaper identifies Derek Smith, of Liverpool, as an unemployed “heartless rat” who left behind his girlfriend and seriously ill baby. A spokesman for the D.H.S.S. said the rules about unemployment benefits were quite clear: “Anyone who is not available for work is not eligible to draw the benefit,” he said. “If we find that claimants have been out of the country and are trying to draw benefits, we will soon sort them right.” He admitted, however, that some people might slip through the net and get away with “free” holidays of up to £l5OO ($4200) each.