IT'S a holiday destination full of natural beauty and quaint towns and villages - but claims more money in benefits than anywhere else in the UK.

The Isle of Wight has now been revealed to be England's highest benefits-claiming area, with residents taking £449 million a year.

Almost £270 million of the total amount was part of state pensions, meaning other traditional retirement locations including Torbay and Eastbourne are high on the list.

The UK's total benefits bill is £159bn a year - and pensions make up £74bn of that, a total of 46 per cent.

In comparison, job seekers allowance accounts for £4.9bn, or just three per cent of the total welfare budget and disability living allowance costs £12.6bn, which is a mere eight per cent.