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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Jobless to work 'clearing litter' | Jobless to work 'clearing litter' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Benefit claimants could be forced to pick up litter and clean graffiti under plans to be unveiled by ministers. | Benefit claimants could be forced to pick up litter and clean graffiti under plans to be unveiled by ministers. |
| The Welfare Green Paper is expected to include proposals to force those unemployed for more than two years to work full-time in the community. | The Welfare Green Paper is expected to include proposals to force those unemployed for more than two years to work full-time in the community. |
| Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell said that the plans would "transform lives". | Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell said that the plans would "transform lives". |
| The Conservatives have said they have suggested the ideas before and will support the plans in parliament. | The Conservatives have said they have suggested the ideas before and will support the plans in parliament. |
| Reserving judgement | Reserving judgement |
| This shake-up will apply to all 4.5m people on out-of-work benefits, but is expected to impact most on those on Jobseekers Allowance. | This shake-up will apply to all 4.5m people on out-of-work benefits, but is expected to impact most on those on Jobseekers Allowance. |
| 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. | 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. |
| After two years, they will be ordered to work full-time. The worst thing about the old system was, people were given no help at all James PurnellSecretary of State for Work and Pensions | After two years, they will be ordered to work full-time. The worst thing about the old system was, people were given no help at all James PurnellSecretary of State for Work and Pensions |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Conservative support for the proposals is likely to effectively neutralise any Labour backbench opposition, BBC political correspondent Gary O'Donoghue said. | Conservative support for the proposals is likely to effectively neutralise any Labour backbench opposition, BBC political correspondent Gary O'Donoghue said. |
| 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. |
| James Purnell talks to the Andrew Marr show about welfare reforms | James Purnell talks to the Andrew Marr show about welfare reforms |
| On Sunday, Mr Purnell told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show that the initiative was "revolutionary". | On Sunday, Mr Purnell told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show that the initiative was "revolutionary". |
| "The worst thing about the old system was, people were given no help at all," he said. | "The worst thing about the old system was, people were given no help at all," he said. |
| "We will be using the benefits that we would have spent if people had stayed on the benefit... to get them back into health and back into work." | "We will be using the benefits that we would have spent if people had stayed on the benefit... to get them back into health and back into work." |
| 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 comments | |
| But people who do not take up the offer of support would lose benefits, said Mr Purnell. | 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. | He said the government wanted to get one million people off incapacity benefit by 2015. |
| In February government welfare adviser David Freud suggested less than a third of the 2.7m people claiming the benefit were doing so legitimately. | In February government welfare adviser David Freud suggested less than a third of the 2.7m people claiming the benefit were doing so legitimately. |
| Conservative leader David Cameron said: "What (Mr Purnell) has done is very much taken the ideas we came up with in January, that are very clearly thought through and involve tough choices." | Conservative leader David Cameron said: "What (Mr Purnell) has done is very much taken the ideas we came up with in January, that are very clearly thought through and involve tough choices." |