Work Programme – a positive impact on employment

By: Lindsay Plumpton

Communications Leader

Tuesday 17 July 2012

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Data published by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) this week suggests that the Government's flagship welfare-to-work scheme, the Work Programme, has had a positive effect on the long-term unemployed. The figures reveal that 48% of people who joined the Programme at its launch in June 2011 had a break in benefit claims by the end of 9 months, and almost 25% had stopped claiming benefits for at least three months.

The latest stats are encouraging after a National Audit Office (NAO) report earlier this year indicated that only 15% of over-25s would get jobs through the Work Programme in contrast to the official government estimate of 40%.

The concept behind the programme is that payments for training will be based on the results achieved by the participants, with providers being paid from the benefits saved when participants find work, thereby saving taxpayers’ money.

NCFE works closely with a number of training providers who are working innovatively to make the Work Programme a success. For example, we’ve seen a high take-up of NCFE’s range of fundable individual units to support unemployed adult learners back into work.

So what do you think? Can the Work Programme help the long term unemployed back into the labour market? Or by setting targets too high, is the government stifling the potential of the programme?

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Authors

Lindsay Plumpton

Communications Leader
96 posts
David Grailey

Chief Executive
79 posts
Andrew Gladstone-Heighton

Policy Leader
75 posts
Esme Winch

Managing Director
35 posts
Michael Lemin

Policy and Research Manager
25 posts

Schools

Colleges

Training Providers

Employers

Learners

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