Workfare: PCS slams Osborne’s “evidence-free, cruel and divisive” plans

New Tory plans to extend workfare for long-term unemployed people are “evidence-free, cruel and deliberately divisive”, the PCS says.

Research commissioned by the Department for Work and Pensions into similar workfare schemes in other countries found that, rather than helping people into work, they could hinder employment chances, particularly in a weak labour market.

There are currently 6.8 million who are unemployed or looking for more hours or a permanent job, and only 500,000 job vacancies.

Last week DWP data on the work programme showed that 56% of participants had not found sustained work after two years on the scheme.

Requiring jobseekers to attend a jobcentre every day would not only massively increase their travel costs it would put enormous strain on DWP that has cut 20,000 staff since the coalition government was formed.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “This kind of evidence-free approach to tackling unemployment is the Tories’ signature tune that they play whenever they need to win support from the worst extremes of their party.

“It will not only do nothing to help people find work, it is cruelly and deliberately designed to set neighbour against neighbour at a time when George Osborne is preparing to spend millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money fighting in the courts to protect bankers’ bonuses.

“Osborne says he doesn’t think people should get something for nothing, but appears to be happy to hand employers free labour.”

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