The government has now announced its ‘Help to Work’ scheme for those unemployed for three years or more.
Those who have been unemployed for three years or more will be asked to:
- take part in community work placements, such as clearing up litter and graffiti in their local areas
- attend daily signings at the job centre until they find work; or
- participants with multiple barriers to finding work, for example literacy or numeracy problems, will be provided with intensive support to address their problems
Claimants will be expected to be on a training scheme, community work placement or intensive work preparation – losing their benefit if they fail to comply.
Help to Work will be applied to all claimants of Jobseeker’s Allowance when they leave the Work Programme from April 2014.
It will not apply to Employment and Support Allowance claimants.
The government has also announced it will fund a pilot scheme designed to get more Employment and Support Allowance claimants into work in Manchester.
The scheme will see a key worker lead contact with an ESA claimant that is due to leave the Work Programme. The key worker will be responsible for identifying the best help, advice and actions needed.
This could include, arranging occupational health visits, mental health support, housing support and stage these in a way that enabled the claimant to move closer to, and into, work.
Disability Rights UK is deeply concerned that although people on ESA are exempt, disabled people on JSA may get caught up in a pointless regime of daily trips to the Job Centre and other required activities. We hear from disabled people who can’t see a Disability Employment Advisor for months. Government should get the support right, not penalise individuals for the failures of the system.
For more information go to https://www.gov.uk/government/news/help-to-work-scheme-announced-by-the-government