UK NEWS

WORK OR LOSE YOUR BENEFITS

CRACKDOWN: Leader David Cameron

Tuesday January 8,2008

By Alison Little Deputy Political Editor

Comment Speech Bubble Have your say(7)

THE unemployed would have to do a year’s community work under the Tories if they want to keep claiming benefits after two years.

David Cameron’s crackdown is part of a “Work for Welfare” package aimed at tackling career claimants who hoover up state handouts while making no real effort to get a job.

About 813,000 people claim jobseekers’ allowance at an annual cost of £2.6billion. It is worth £46.85 a week to claimants aged 18 to 24, and £59.15 for those aged 25 and over.

Mr Cameron will also spell out proposals for American-style “back to work’’ programmes, with benefits stopped for those who refuse to take part.

The package is the first set of policy proposals in what the Conservatives term their “responsibility agenda’’. Mr Cameron will announce today that after receiving jobseekers’ allowance for two years, claimants would have to take part in a year-long community work programme to improve their local areas – or lose their financial support.

This would apply to interrupted as well as continuous spells of unemployment, to stop people getting round the crackdown by signing off for short periods.

Common tactics to stay in the benefits system include sometimes taking jobs with the intention of quickly dropping out – then returning to the benefit.

About two-thirds of jobseekers’ allowance claims are by former claimants.

The Tory proposal is similar to Australia’s “work for the dole” scheme, where six months community work is required.

Conservatives also examined the tough “workfare’’ regime in the US state of Wisconsin, where claimants are penalised for not working – plus initiatives in New York where families are rewarded for working and for activities such as taking children for health checks.

The Tories would also set up a US-style programme to get hundreds of thousands of people off benefits and into jobs.

Claimants would receive help in skills development and preparing job applications and work experience – plus support once in work to help them to stay there.

The programme would be delivered by independent groups through a network of “back-to-work centres’’ where claimants would be expected to spend most of the working week.

Participation would be compulsory for jobseekers and those refusing to join would lose out-of-work benefits until they did so.

All jobseekers would be screened when they applied for welfare. Those with a history of claiming would be referred immediately to the programmes. Those who had not claimed in the recent past would first have a “grace period’’ to find work.

Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Chris Grayling said: “This plan is designed to transform the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and to start them on the road back into sustainable employment.

“It makes no sense to have millions of people coming to Britain to work while we have millions of people stuck at home claiming out-of-work benefits.”

Mr Cameron will also confirm plans for a “three strikes and you’re out’’ crackdown on claimants who turn down job offers, with benefit stopped for up to three years for refusing three reasonable job offers.

Tories also promise a full medical assessment of all the 2.6 million people now on incapacity benefit – which costs the country more than £12billion a year.

Those deemed fit to work would be put on the less generous jobseekers’ allowance. Tories say that would put at least 200,000 back into the labour market.

SLAVE LABOUR!

19.07.08, 9:09am

I agree something needs to be done to tackle unemployment, but for people such as myself who are genuinely seeking work this is a slap in the face. It's bordering on slave labour! If any employer enters into this scheme and the employee is doing this community service for them, will they be given that job on a permanent and paid basis? It's also frightening to think what we may be forced to do!
I gave up my job almost 2 years ago due to ill health, and was claiming incapacity benefit. I have been actively seeking work since June 2007 without success. I have also taken an on line course and gained my ECDL, and taken a 7 week full time UNPAID course in the public sector academy for my local council, but even training and further education does not seem to have helped my employment prospects
Who was it that said "If you can operate a computer there is a job out there for you"?

(also posted on the worng article prisoners on community service)

• Posted by: AliceInWebland • Report Comment

DO YOU KNOW

09.01.08, 12:35am

That you can now claim disability for Bad behaviour!!!!!!

A colleague of mine works with a young man who was just backdated over three thousand pounds for a disorder that is considered anti social behaviour.

Nothing more, nothing less. Not a disability, just outright temper and no boundries.

I wish I could remember the term.

No wonder this country is going to the dogs.

• Posted by: betty • Report Comment

ITS BEEN TRIED BEFORE........

08.01.08, 8:30pm

Some years ago Peter Lilley made an impassioned speech about the something for nothing society being over but nothing was done on any great scale. I think its because poiticians lack the intestinal fortitude to take these lazy scroungers on. Bring them in, make them work, have teams following the disabled liars who are fit and working. The money saved will help the genuine claimants. Every town has them, just ask locals who the scroungers are.

• Posted by: Michael • Report Comment

NO ANSWER

08.01.08, 3:36pm

DC's policy proposal is based on the assumption that the long term jobless are somehow workshy. Okay so maybe some of them are, but surely not all or them, or even most of them.

I believe that most JSA claimants genuinely want to work, but cannot find jobs because ... wait for it ... THE JOBS DON'T EXIST.

DC is not proposing to do anything about the lack of job vacancies, and those who work should receive a salary rather than benefits.

• Posted by: Camerton • Report Comment

WORK OR LOSE YOUR BENEFITS

08.01.08, 12:14pm

And why not - they do it in other Countries and it seems to work well and it gives something back to the Country.

On another issue , In Spain, they also make low risk Prisoners work in well supervised Street Gangs Trimming Trees and Hedges, clearing up rubbish etc.

Oh ! I forget - Spain is not bound and gagged by any Human Rights Act that might prevent such actions are they ? (or should I say Criminals Rights Act).

• Posted by: EmperorMing • Report Comment

THE REALITY.

08.01.08, 5:41am

A step in the right direction perhaps.
The reality is that the bulk of taxpayers money is absorbed by the professional benefits clientele, from MPs who are a law unto themselves through to the majority who work within our legal system (legal aid what a gift from heaven that is) and beyond who are also able to milk the system to their own ends.
If the benefits scrounger is to be brought to heel surely the same regime should be applied across the board regarding all handouts from the public purse, in effect tighter regulation for all those who make case for payment from the nations coffers.

• Posted by: kojak • Report Comment