Commenting on the Secretary
of State for Work and Pension’s speech proposing stopping
benefits for long term unemployed people, Paul Dornan, Head of Policy
at the Child Poverty Action Group, said:
“There is little evidence that benefit sanctions work.
People who are long-term unemployed often need specialised support
to prepare them for the labour market. Work needs to be done with
employers too, some of whom can have unfounded negative attitudes
towards long-term unemployed people and are unwilling to give
them a chance.
“Hutton’s comparisons with Polish people who find
work in the UK are highly misleading. Polish workers tend not
to be here long term, do not bring their families with them, live
in cheap shared accommodation and are sending money home where
the cost of living is much cheaper. So they are more flexible,
more mobile, have a much greater economic incentive and are often
more highly skilled.
“A far better solution mentioned today would be to implement
the findings of the Leitch and Harker reviews and provide decent
support and training opportunities for the many who want work
but face barriers to getting it around skills, caring responsibilities
and discrimination.
“If the Secretary of State is serious about increasing
sanctions it is very worrying as it would put many of the poorest
families into even more severe poverty with little likelihood
of helping anyone into work.”
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