Jobless told to get off benefits and into work (VIDEO)
THE Government today unveiled radical plans to get tens of thousands of benefit claimants back into work.
The welfare White Paper has major implications for Stoke-on-Trent, where council chiefs aim to get 3,000 people a year off hand-outs and into jobs. The city is investing £42 million into its own worklessness strategy over the next decade.
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The cash is being used to set up jobs brokerages in areas worst hit by unemployment, as well as training and apprenticeship schemes for under-qualified school leavers.
Stoke-on-Trent has the 12th highest proportion of residents claiming benefits in the UK, with 48,000 of its 186,000 adults on hand-outs.
That figure includes about 19,000 who claim Incapacity Benefit – a figure that the Government believes is far too high.
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Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell said today that the plan aimed to "transform" the lives of people on benefits through additional help with training and childcare. But new sanctions would cut benefits for anyone refusing to take up training or the offer of a job.
Changes are likely to include compulsory medical assessments for people claiming Incapacity Benefit.
The minister said that virtually everyone would be expected to do something in return for their benefits in future.
However, the plans have sparked alarm among those who fear the reforms will push some families deeper into poverty or unfairly penalise genuine benefit claimants.
Stoke-on-Trent North MP Joan Walley, pictured, said she hoped the reforms would complement existing efforts to tackle worklessness in the city, but she wanted the changes to be carried out in a sensitive way that would encourage people into work, rather than use threats or force.
She said: "I would much rather follow the route of social enterprise to encourage people to improve their skills."
See tomorrow's Sentinel for more
58 Comments
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by David, Burslem
Thursday, December 11 2008, 4:48PM
“Well said, Michael from Newcastle.
Everyone who is able to work should be encouraged to take up some form of useful employment. Living on state hand-outs should never be a lifestyle choice, as seems to be the current situation.”
by Matt, Bankeyfields
Thursday, December 11 2008, 2:09PM
“Quote "That figure includes about 19,000 who claim Incapacity Benefit ¿ a figure that the Government believes is far too high."
I don't know about this figure as every time I go to a super market I can never get to use the Parent and Child (i'd class child as 6 and below) spaces as they are always full of cars with disabled badges.
I'll just remove my tongue from my cheek now.”
by Michael, Newcastle
Thursday, December 11 2008, 11:56AM
“James, i agree that more should be done about tax evasion and those that milk the tax system through loopholes but I also think it is important that those with a history of evading good hard days work should forfit benefits and be forced into back into earning an honest living. Genuine cases of poor health are a different matter and should always correctly assesed by doctors. Those that have no comittment to contribute to society and the community basically dictate there lifestyle to us and the social services so why should we accept there feeble and pathetic excuses and fund there pathetic lifestyles.
If a system can work in Scandinavia of ensuring everyone contributes and has a "purpose in life" instead of sitting on there backsides all day and draining the system then their is no reason why it cant work in this country. I for one fully support and end to the system being played by those who continually abuse it,
in doing so they show a total lack of respect for the rest of us who are footing the bill, they just sitt back laughing at us.
Anyone can say they want to work and cant get a job but are they really motivated, the answer is no. Just take a look at some of those interviewed in the video, look how they present themselves, would you give them a job, they have no pride in there appearance and no respect for themselves.
First impressions count....”
by James, Penkhull
Thursday, December 11 2008, 10:36AM
“Just another gimmick by a government desperate to gain popularity and as usual this means picking on easy targets. If the govt was that bothered about it's coffers they'd invest more in and do more about tax evasion and do everything possible to close all the loopholes. Having said that there is a "Jeremy Kyle" style underclass out there who are milking the system. All it takes to deal with that is greater enforcement and checks on whether people are genuinely looking for work on the part of the DWP, not some gimmicky outburst by some elected amateur desperate to stay in office come the next election. In his case his chickens might come home to roost if he lost his seat!!!”
by al black, stoke
Thursday, December 11 2008, 9:29AM
“heres a great idea that will shore up the economy instead of knocking tuppence off a dvd why dont you bang a huge windfall tax on gas and electricity companies and all the big city chairmen who are making profits while their companies are dying and then invest all that money back into the nation so we have a manufacturing base again or even into british companies to build our new power plants and renewable energy sources it might make jobs make us proud and strengthen the economy but what would i know im not a chancellor and i only think of simple things like my country...dear mr Brown stop feeding us poo and telling us its chocolate”