McFadden: Labour must shift from writing cheques to job support for benefit claimants
7 reported
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said the government must stop “simply writing a cheque” for health and disability benefit claimants and instead provide more job support. In an interview with the Guardian, McFadden stated that the government is preparing a renewed welfare reform effort focused on encouraging more people with health conditions to get into work. He made the comments during a visit to a jobcentre in south London, where he signaled that welfare reform could form the backbone of Labour’s response to two landmark government-backed reports. McFadden commissioned both reviews, one by Alan Milburn on youth worklessness and one by Stephen Timms on disability benefits, and said work is under way on the government response ahead of final reports this autumn. The Timms review’s interim report concluded that the personal independence payment (Pip), claimed by nearly 4 million people in England and Wales, was “not working.” The first phase of the Milburn review urged a “whole system reset” to address a rise in young people out of work or education to more than a million. McFadden said the government is now supporting 100,000 people on the highest level of health-related benefits through its Pathways to Work scheme, which provides no-strings attached support for claimants.
What’s reported
Pat McFadden said Labour must stop “simply writing a cheque” for health and disability benefit claimants and provide more job support.
The government is preparing a renewed welfare reform effort focused on encouraging more people with health conditions to get into work.
McFadden commissioned two reviews: Alan Milburn’s report on youth worklessness and Stephen Timms’s review of disability benefits.
The Timms review interim report concluded that Pip, claimed by nearly 4 million people in England and Wales, was “not working.”
The Milburn review first phase urged a “whole system reset” to tackle a rise in young people out of work or education to more than a million.
The government is now supporting 100,000 people on the highest level of health-related benefits through its Pathways to Work scheme.
McFadden said welfare reform would still be a priority for prime minister-in-waiting Andy Burnham.
Key figures
Pat McFadden, work and pensions secretary
Alan Milburn, author of report into youth worklessness
Stephen Timms, author of review of disability benefits
Andy Burnham, prime minister-in-waiting
Sources: The Guardian
