NICE calls for incentives to be healthy slammed

Calls by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to give people with unhealthy lifestyles incentives, including cash and toys for children, has been attacked by many who say the schemes are a waste of money.

Fiona McEvoy from the TaxPayers' Alliance told The Telegraph: "Bribing people to lose weight or quit smoking is nothing but a quick fix which patronises the individuals in question and drains much-needed money away from the public purse.

“At a time when cancer drugs are being denied to sufferers due to lack of funds, many will be disgusted to learn that NICE are considering such a costly approach."

Incentive programmes which NICE has looked into included ones which give overweight people hundreds of pounds to lose weight.