Trio of charities welcome John Hutton, but warn on welfare reform
02.11.05

Three leading charities have congratulated John Hutton on his appointment as the new Work & Pensions Secretary but joined forces to warn him to “tread very carefully” on welfare reform.

With the long-awaited Green Paper on welfare reform at the top of the new Minister’s agenda, the Child Poverty Action Group, Disability Alliance and One Parent Families have tonight written to Mr Hutton.

In their letter the charities welcome extra support to help more people into work but warn against forcing lone parents and disabled people into jobs.

“Increases in conditionality, which risk forcing people with real barriers to work into jobs they do not want and may not be able to keep, will not only be expensive but counterproductive,” they say.

The charities also call for further action to meet the Government’s own target of halving child poverty by 2010 including: a more adequate safety net for those who cannot work, more support into employment for those who can work and sufficient Jobcentre Plus staff to deliver services on the ground.

CPAG, Disability Alliance and One Parent Families conclude: “We strongly support the Government’s ongoing policy to reduce poverty but to do so successfully means looking at the complex, structural causes and making sure that delivery is sustainable. There are no quick fixes and we urge you to tread very carefully in this area.”

Notes to Editors:

The letter’s signatories are: Kate Green (Chief Executive, Child Poverty Action Group), Lorna Reith (Chief Executive, Disability Alliance) and Chris Pond (Chief Executive, One Parent Families).

For further information or a full copy of the letter please contact:

Alex Belardinelli, CPAG Press Officer
Tel. 020 7812 5216 or 07816 909302
abelardinelli@cpag.org.uk

Lorna Reith
Chief Executive, Disability Alliance
07973 426337

Jane Ahrends
One Parent Families Press Officer
Tel. 020 7428 5416
jane@oneparentfamilies.org.uk