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Jobless Britons could be made to do manual work
[Emirates 24/7] Britain's long-term unemployed could be forced to carry out compulsory manual work or risk losing their welfare benefits under plans being put forward by the government, newspapers reported on Sunday.The US-style scheme would see the long-term jobless ordered to take up four-week placements in order to get them used to having a full-time job. The idea is part of major reforms, due to be unveiled this week, to make cuts to Britain's huge welfare bill, reduce dependency on benefits and weed out those earning money but not declaring it, papers said. "What we are talking about here is people who have not been used to working having both the opportunity and perhaps a bit more of a push as well, to experience the workplace from time to time," Foreign Secretary William Hague told BBC TV. "The vast majority of people in Britain will think that is the right thing to do." Shortly after the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition took power in May, Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith unveiled plans to simplify the complex web of benefits available to reduce errors and inefficiencies. Duncan Smith said the system had become regressive and was not giving people the right incentive to work as many were financially better off unemployed. Under his plans separate benefits for items such as housing, income support or incapacity will be replaced by a "universal credit" system whereby individual households would get a single welfare payment to ensure those in work would be better off. The Observer newspaper said that in return, long-term unemployed would be told to take up work placements of at least 30 hours a week for a four-week period. If they refuse or fail to complete the programme, their jobseekers' allowance, worth 64.30 pounds a week for those over over 25, could be stopped for at least three months. Posted by: Fred 2010-11-08 |
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