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Benefit shake-up 'revolutionary' 'Work for benefits' plan unveiled
(about 1 hour later)
Benefit claimants could be forced to pick up litter and erase graffiti under plans being unveiled by ministers. Unemployed people will be forced to work for their benefits, as part of welfare reforms unveiled by Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell.
The Welfare Green Paper is set to include proposals to force those unemployed for more than two years to work full-time in the community. He told MPs that from now on, the longer people claimed, the more the state would expect in return.
Incapacity benefit will be scrapped as part of a scheme to get more people claiming the benefit back to work. The Welfare Green Paper includes plans to scrap Incapacity Benefit and make those jobless for more than two years to work full-time in the community.
Minister James Purnell says the plans are "revolutionary". The Tories say they had many of the ideas first. The Tories back the plans, saying many of the ideas were theirs first.
This shake-up will apply to all 4.5 million people on out-of-work benefits, but is expected to impact most on those on Jobseekers Allowance.This shake-up will apply to all 4.5 million people on out-of-work benefits, but is expected to impact most on those on Jobseekers Allowance.
Conservative support Signed off sick
Under plans laid out in the Green Paper, claimants will have to carry out four weeks' community work once they have been unemployed for more than a year. Mr Purnell told the Commons he aimed to reduce those on benefit by a million over the next seven years.
Claimants will have to carry out four weeks' community work once they have been unemployed for more than a year.
Work works and it's only fair that we can ensure that a life on benefits is not an option James PurnellWork and Pensions Secretary
After two years, they will be ordered to work full-time in the community.After two years, they will be ordered to work full-time in the community.
Incapacity Benefit claimants will all move to the new Employment Support Allowance by 2013, which ministers hope will be regarded, for all but the most disabled people, as a temporary benefit.Incapacity Benefit claimants will all move to the new Employment Support Allowance by 2013, which ministers hope will be regarded, for all but the most disabled people, as a temporary benefit.
FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme
People who have been signed off sick will have a new medical check with someone who is not their own GP.People who have been signed off sick will have a new medical check with someone who is not their own GP.
Drug addicts are also being targeted, with the government expecting them to declare their problem and to embark on treatment in return for benefits.Drug addicts are also being targeted, with the government expecting them to declare their problem and to embark on treatment in return for benefits.
Mr Purnell said the plans would "transform lives". "By getting more people to take up support, we can increase employment and reduce poverty," he said.
Complex benefits system
"Work works and it's only fair that we can ensure that a life on benefits is not an option."
For the first time all parents on benefits will be able to keep their maintenance payments, he said.
And he pledged to "simplify the bewildering complexity of the benefits system".
The Conservatives say they will support many of the proposals, effectively neutralising any Labour backbench opposition.The Conservatives say they will support many of the proposals, effectively neutralising any Labour backbench opposition.
But shadow work and pensions secretary Chris Grayling claimed the plans were a "straight lift" of those previously put forward by his party.
No difference?
The Liberal Democrats have welcomed some elements of the Green Paper, but are reserving their judgment on whether to support ministers.The Liberal Democrats have welcomed some elements of the Green Paper, but are reserving their judgment on whether to support ministers.
Mr Purnell, the work and pensions secretary, says the welfare reforms being proposed will "transform lives".
FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme
He told BBC Five Live Breakfast: "People have an obligation to work and the benefit system is not there to give you a choice between benefits and work; it's there to help you when you can't find work.
"If you can find work you should take it, if there isn't work there you should take steps to get back into work."
But people who do not take up the offer of support would lose benefits, said Mr Purnell.
He said the government wanted to get one million people off incapacity benefit by 2015.
But former welfare reform minister Frank Field told the BBC's Today programme he doubted the proposals would make any difference.But former welfare reform minister Frank Field told the BBC's Today programme he doubted the proposals would make any difference.
Tough choices
"The key fault in the old system is being brought into the new system, and that is if you can get through the employment capacity test... you'll get onto a higher rate of benefit," he said."The key fault in the old system is being brought into the new system, and that is if you can get through the employment capacity test... you'll get onto a higher rate of benefit," he said.
HAVE YOUR SAYAs long as people are paid a fair wage for their work, why shouldn't they work for benefits?Peter Hearty, Southend-on-SeaSend us your commentsHAVE YOUR SAYAs long as people are paid a fair wage for their work, why shouldn't they work for benefits?Peter Hearty, Southend-on-SeaSend us your comments
Mr Field said he had been arguing for 10 years that there should be a single rate of benefit for people of working age who were unable to work. They should be funded via the Disability Living Allowance, not benefits, he said.Mr Field said he had been arguing for 10 years that there should be a single rate of benefit for people of working age who were unable to work. They should be funded via the Disability Living Allowance, not benefits, he said.
"The whole emphasis here, naturally, will be for people not to get jobs but to get onto the higher rate of benefit," he added."The whole emphasis here, naturally, will be for people not to get jobs but to get onto the higher rate of benefit," he added.
And Labour left-winger Jeremy Corbyn said he was "surprised and disappointed" that the government seemed to be "punishing people for being poor".And Labour left-winger Jeremy Corbyn said he was "surprised and disappointed" that the government seemed to be "punishing people for being poor".
In February government welfare adviser David Freud suggested less than a third of the 2.7 million people claiming the benefit were doing so legitimately.In February government welfare adviser David Freud suggested less than a third of the 2.7 million people claiming the benefit were doing so legitimately.
Shadow work and pensions secretary Chris Grayling said: "We very much agree with the package of reforms... it's particularly helpful that they're bringing them forward now because we always expected the reforms to take a couple of years to prepare before being ready to yield results.
"So in reality what this announcement means is that the next government will inherit a set of proposals that have been turned into action and are ready to bring about real change to our welfare state."
'Deep concerns''Deep concerns'
Lib Dem work and pensions spokeswoman Jenny Willott said the government's plans "ignore the disincentive to work that our complex benefit system has created".Lib Dem work and pensions spokeswoman Jenny Willott said the government's plans "ignore the disincentive to work that our complex benefit system has created".
"The fact that over half of children living in poverty are in working households is largely ignored," she said. "Reforms must ensure that work really pays or we will see poverty levels rising in Britain.""The fact that over half of children living in poverty are in working households is largely ignored," she said. "Reforms must ensure that work really pays or we will see poverty levels rising in Britain."
Jon Sparkes, chief executive of the disability charity Scope, said he had "deep concerns about the tone of these reforms and the target-led ethos underpinning them".Jon Sparkes, chief executive of the disability charity Scope, said he had "deep concerns about the tone of these reforms and the target-led ethos underpinning them".
He added: "Disabled people face a myriad of barriers in finding employment, including negative attitudes from employers and inadequate social care support.He added: "Disabled people face a myriad of barriers in finding employment, including negative attitudes from employers and inadequate social care support.
"Punitive measures against individual disabled claimants will do nothing to remove these barriers.""Punitive measures against individual disabled claimants will do nothing to remove these barriers."