Major reforms to the welfare system including an overhaul of Jobcentres to make them “fit for the modern age” will be set out today.
It comes as Keir Starmer and the Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall seek to cut the number of people who are out of work. During the election, Labour promised to increase the employment rate to 80% from 75%, which would mean an extra two million more people in work.
Key to the changes will be moving away from a “tick box” culture at Jobcentres across the country with £55million of funding to offer a more tailored career advice.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said they will become more “focused on people’s skills and careers instead of just monitoring and managing benefit claims”.
Ministers plan to use artificial intelligence to offer up-to-date data on jobs for those searching for work and bring Jobcentres into the 21st century”.
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As part of the Get Britain Working white paper published today, the government is also offering a “youth guarantee scheme”. This will offer all young people in England between the ages of 18-21 access to an apprenticeship, training or education. But those who fail to take up the offers face being sanctioned.
Writing for The Mirror today, the Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said it is “shocking” one in eight are not in work, education or training.
“The result is talent wasted, opportunity missed, and life chances stalled. It’s also holding businesses and our economy back.” As part of the youth guarantee, Ms Kendall also announced new deals with organisations including the Premier League and Channel 4 to provide opportunities.
She added: “This is our commitment to young people. We value you, you are important. We will invest in you and give you the chances you deserve.”
As part of the reforms, places with the highest numbers of people out of work will also get extra NHS support to cut waiting lists.
Mr Starmer said: “From the broken NHS, flatlining economy, and the millions of people left unemployed and trapped in an inactivity spiral – this government inherited a country that simply isn’t working. But today we’ve set out a plan to fix this.”
The PM said the reforms will also “put an end to the culture of blaming and shaming people who for too long haven’t been getting the support they need to get back into work”.
He added: “We’re overhauling JobCentres to make them fit for the modern age. We’re giving young people the skills and opportunities they need to prepare them for the jobs of the future.
We’re fixing the NHS so people get the treatment and mental health support they desperately need to be able to get back to work.”
Ministers will also bring forward reforms to the health and disability benefits system in 2025. The DWP said: “A consultation will be published in spring as part of a commitment to put the views and voices of disabled people at the heart of any policy changes that directly affect them.”