Britain's network of jobcentres has become a hollowed out “benefits management service”, shunned by employers and jobseekers alike, ministers say warned ahead of a complete review of the company's leave support system. employment.
In an interview with observerWork and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said the country's 650 job centers were no longer “fit for purpose”, leaving people looking for work or better employment and those on welfare vulnerable. He warned that the country needed to become a base for the future. In the UK, reforms to bring together jobcentre networks and healthcare and careers services will be announced this week as part of long-awaited plans to tackle economic inactivity.
“Employers are rushing to hire,” she says. “People are desperate to make money and keep their jobs, so big changes are needed. We need to transform jobcentres from one-size-fits-all benefits administration services to true public employment services. It's not fit for purpose and needs to be changed.
“The fact that only one in six employers use Jobcentre for recruitment is a huge problem. We have to change the way we work to ensure we have the skills that employers need.”
Severe image problems mean hundreds of job centers are being ignored by the majority of employers and avoided by people looking for jobs or better posts, according to new government-backed analysis. It suggests that only one-third of the population uses them to obtain information about jobs.
The reforms will force young people to pursue education and employment or face benefit sanctions. These come as the number of 16- to 24-year-olds who don't fit into either category is at its highest level in a decade. Rushing towards the 1 million mark. Expanding the use of benefit sanctions will be controversial within the Labor Party, but Mr Kendall said the government's attempts to improve access to health services, career advice and training could be supported by open positions. He said that it is necessary to have an active attitude to take on the challenge.
“We will transform opportunities for young people through early intervention to address mental health issues, support in schools, new work experiences and career advice,” she said. He promised to provide “new opportunities.” . “But young people will have to accept that. Losing a job at a young age without basic skills can have a lifelong impact on income, career and health. We will not accept that. We will not abandon young people. We will change those opportunities, but young people have a responsibility to take them on.”
The number of NEETs (young people not in employment, education or training) now stands at 946,000, according to the latest data for July to September released last week. That's up from 872,000 three months ago and remains 20% higher than before the pandemic.
Results of a government-commissioned study observer reveals the image problem facing jobcentres, with less than a third (32%) of respondents saying they use jobcentres for employment information.
Only around half (53%) trust the Department for Work and Pensions to provide an effective service to employers. A third of people using the department's services feel there is not enough support for unemployed people.
The research comes ahead of Mr Kendall's Get Britain Working white paper, which will be published this week. It is part of the government's bid to cut a record 2.8 million unemployed people due to long-term illness, leading to higher welfare costs and derailing Keir Starmer's hopes of securing economic growth. It will be a long time.
After newsletter promotion
The cost of incapacity benefits has increased from £17bn before the pandemic to an estimated £29bn this year. By the next election the figure is expected to reach £34bn.
“Yes, I know that benefits can sometimes motivate people to work, and sometimes they can detract from them, but it's also about skills. It's about childcare. It's about balancing work and family life. It's a matter of balance. We need all that help and advice in one place… [Jobcentre] Work coaches who have been working for 25 to 30 years know what needs to change and we are determined to help them. ”
Mr Kendall described the needed reforms as “one of the biggest public service reforms the government will undertake”, but the attempt to transform jobcentres into the new national employment and careers service will require a modest investment of £55 million. I feel supported.
But Mr Kendall said his role was directly linked to the government's decision to prioritize the NHS in last month's tax increase budget.
“A healthy nation and a healthy economy are two sides of the same coin,” she says. “If you have a map of a country that includes areas of economic stagnation, high unemployment, and high poverty rates, my map is exactly like that map. [health secretary] Wes Street's cause is poor health and a short lifespan. ”
