Commenting on the release today of ‘Raising Expectations and Increasing Support: reforming welfare for the future’, the Chief Executive of Child Poverty Action Group, Kate Green, said:
“The Government’s direction on welfare reform is seriously flawed. In a recession hit jobs market, harsh new sanctions are senseless, unfair and a tremendous bureaucratic burden on overstretched Jobcentre Plus staff.
“It worries us that the paper calls the personal support programme a ‘regime’. We do not want an authoritarian welfare state as claimants don’t need compulsion to take up high quality health, training and employment services that wealthier people take for granted. Work requirements must not conflict with health and care needs for sick or disabled claimants, or childcare priorities for parents.
“The commitment that lone parents and disabled claimants will not be forced to apply for specific jobs, attend job interview, take any particular form of employment or place a pre-school child into inappropriate childcare against the will of the parent is an important protection. It must be clearly written into the legislation alongside the Secretary of State’s undertaking that there will not be financial sanctions for parents.
“Work for benefit proposals undermine the right to a fair day’s pay for an honest day’s work. If the Government can find a person a full time job then they should be paid a wage, not a benefit. Otherwise they reinforce ideas that work does not pay, or that it is acceptable for employers not to pay a fair wage.”
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