The government’s flagship employment scheme is working, ministers have claimed, after data was released showing about one in four jobless people who had joined the work programme had stayed off benefits for 13 weeks.
Chris Grayling, the employment minister, presented an analysis of 28,600 people on the programme in June 2011. Nine months later, he said, 7,000 of them – roughly 24% – had “a continuous 13-week break in claim [sic]“. He also said a “significant” proportion, 14%, had not claimed benefits for 26 weeks.
However, Grayling said he was unable to say how many people had come off benefits because they had found a job. Accepting some had left because of “chaotic lives”, he said it was difficult to see how “you could keep yourself without money for long”.
“Job outcomes is a lagging indicator and by the time the contractors have processed the claim [we would] wait another three months for the data,” said Grayling.
Rebutting claims that the figures showed private sector providers had “creamed off” the easiest group to get back to work, the minister said this cohort was not exceptional: “We are not saying that they all got jobs. But we think that the full picture is much higher than 24% and probably closer to 30% [for those off benefits for 13 weeks].”
The scheme, a five-year contract worth up to £5bn, involves 15 private companies, two charities and one public sector contractor aiming to get the unemployed back to work for two years. Grayling said the work programme was a “giant employment dating service”, pointing out that one provider recruited the entire staff of a new restaurant in Edinburgh.
The providers’ trade body, ERSA, released data in May showing that between 18% and 26% of work programme participants have started a job. However, the National Audit Office (NAO) expressed doubts, saying the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) target of getting 36% of people into sustained, long-term work over the course of the programme was “overly optimistic”.
“Our analysis of likely performance of the largest group of participants in the work programme (and one of the easiest to help into work) is that 26% will get such jobs compared to the department’s estimate of 40% for that group,” said the NAO.
Grayling said there was no basis for the NAO’s claims, and that he would not comment on claims made by Channel 4 News that one provider, A4e, found jobs for just 3.5% of its jobseekers under the work programme, far below the 5.5% minimum target.
Oh dear Mr grayling can’t see how people can keep themselves without money for so long and 24% miraculously stop claiming. Does he really not understand that the words black and economy spring to mind. While we are on the subject why can he not understand that people cannot keep themselves with a miserable pittance ie JSA for so long and if opportunity knocks so to speak they will work and not declare it. This so called welfare state keeps people way below the poverty level because it thinks that there is a job around the corner for everyone.
I am on ESA and can only just manage and only get HB for the full rent because nobody else wanted the property.
I have a proposition for you Mr G, why don’t you come and live in my house for a month and live on JSA. There is another bedroom so invite Mr C to share.
Yes this is true.
Just like Atos have miraculous powers of healing lol
After the Nepoleonic wars the great army that had been put to gether was disbanded. This meant that there were a great number of men roaming the country because they had no where to live, no employment and no money. Many of the vagrancy laws came about because that was the only way the Victorian government could deal with it.
It’s a bit different today. We have almost three million unemployed and housing benefits are on the change. How long is it before this large number of people are on the move because they have no where else to go.
Sorry I was having a bad dream there! What is this man talking about? Isn’t there something about three million some thing or other… Just like the last time the Tories were at the helm and they caused it the last time as well. If you can make an unemployed man work for his benefit and you can dress it up how you like, why can’t he be given proper paid work (employment)
***Accepting some had left because of “chaotic lives”, [Grayling] said it was difficult to see how “you could keep yourself without money for long”.***
Stupid fucking turd!
Work or die!
I wonder what they’d do if the results came back in three months to show 90% of those who ‘came off benefits’ were those who had been sanctioned for failing to meet the strict workfare criteria, and were left so penniless they resorted to crime and actually ended up in prison, costing the taxpayers money. Whatever the percentage, I’m convinced this will be an ever-increasing consequence.
eye this man is fantastic they working for no money with the charitys who placed them with firms who do not have to pay them whot a wally does he think we are that stupid unbeleavible jeff3