Skip to main content

130115 PUDI report

Regular reports on the growing Poverty, Unemployment, Debt and Inequality of the neo-capitalist world

UK:

"More than a million unemployed people are falling through cracks in national work schemes that are failing to reach some of the most vulnerable jobseekers, councils warn today.”

Latest employment figures released in December show that the number of unemployed people not claiming Jobseeker's Allowance has passed one million for the first time. This means many of the hardest-to-reach jobseekers, such as young people or those with complex needs, are not receiving any government help into work with national schemes too focused on getting people off benefits rather than helping them into a job. The challenge is growing rapidly, with a 28 per cent increase in the proportion of unemployed people not claiming benefits in the last 18 months.”

Councils are warning that they cannot afford to continue resolving the failings of these national schemes in their communities without the appropriate funding. The LGA is calling for the next government to commit to devolving all nationally-run, education, skills and employment schemes to local areas so councils can join-up services to support their most vulnerable residents.”

Working with employers, charities and voluntary groups, schools, colleges and housing associations, local schemes have provided one-to-one mentoring, training, work placements and apprenticeships. Specialist advice and guidance also supported people's wider needs such as housing and childcare, critical to helping people get a job and keep it. The schemes have had success with helping some of the hardest to reach residents into work, such as lone parents, ex-offenders and disabled people which has contributed to reductions in the number of young people not in employment, education or training (NEET), lower re-offending rates and less use of health and social services which helps save millions of pounds from the public purse.”

Full Report:


Previous Report

Comments