DAVID Cameron visited Greenhithe’s Bluewater shopping centre today to give a radical speech on slashing welfare benefits.

But people could have been forgiven for not realising the country’s PM was just a few feet away up the stairs of Bluewater’s Glow.

Only two police officers in high-visibility jackets marked the entrance to the conference room and publicity to his visit was decidedly low key.

In the half-an-hour speech, Mr Cameron told people he wanted to cut housing benefits for under-25s.

He said the government was spending almost £2bn a year on benefits for the group, when they could, he suggested, live at home with their parents.

The Prime Minister also hinted at restricting handouts for those who have large numbers of children and cutting benefits for the long-term unemployed.

He also touched on disability benefits, saying there will be a fairer system for claimants which will mean more objective assessments.

Talking about the social divisions created by the welfare state, he said: “We have, in some ways, created a welfare gap in this country - between those living long-term in the welfare system and those outside it.

“Those within it grow up with a series of expectations - you can have a home of your own, the state will support you whatever decisions you make, you will always be able to take out no matter what you put in.

"This has sent out some incredibly damaging signals.

“That it pays not to work. That you are owed something for nothing.

“It gave us millions of working-age people sitting at home on benefits even before the recession hit.

“It created a culture of entitlement.

“And it has led to huge resentment amongst those who pay into the system, because they feel that what they're having to work hard for, others are getting without having to put in the effort."

Mr Cameron said there should be a debate about what people on out-of-work benefits are expected to do.

He said: “For example, it is still possible to stay on benefits for years without gaining basic literacy and numeracy skills.

“But isn’t this something we should expect of people, considering these skills are almost essential to getting work?

“Bizarrely there is also no requirement to have a CV.”

To view the speech in full, go to number10.gov.uk