Trio of charities warn Blunkett:
“No quick fixes on welfare reform”
20.10.05

Three leading charities have joined forces to warn David Blunkett that there can be “no quick fixes” in his forthcoming welfare reform Green Paper. The Child Poverty Action Group, Disability Alliance and One Parent Families, have written to the Work & Pensions Secretary today.

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.

On the adequacy of benefits, the charities say: “To tackle poverty, benefits must be adequate for both children and adults. Currently, against the yardstick of the poverty line, they are not. We calculate the current gap (after housing costs) for a couple with two children to be in the region of £80.”

Recent research quoted by the charities has also found that benefit income levels for a disabled person are around £200 below that necessary to deliver a quality of life that was acceptable or equitable.

On support into employment, they say: “Many people currently out of work want to work, so we need sustained increases in support, such as through the Pathways to Work programme, and measures to ensure that good jobs are available.”

The charities also caution that job cuts at Jobcentre Plus will make it difficult for the Government to deliver existing employment services. “Ensuring that existing, effective services can be delivered is essential before implementing any programme of reform,” they say.

CPAG, Disability Alliance and One Parent Families conclude: “We strongly support your 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