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Welfare reform and homelessness

Welfare reform and homelessness. Natalie Branosky Inclusion. Political context. A new localism… Flexibility, devolution, both or neither? Impact of DWP job cuts… Who delivers services? Shift in focus from JSA to economically inactive Emphasis on IB reform, but JSA on the rise.

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Welfare reform and homelessness

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  1. Welfare reform and homelessness Natalie Branosky Inclusion

  2. Political context • A new localism… Flexibility, devolution, both or neither? • Impact of DWP job cuts… Who delivers services? • Shift in focus from JSA to economically inactive Emphasis on IB reform, but JSA on the rise

  3. The Government’s approach • A tougher line on benefits • Active help in training, jobsearch, and provision of work • Making work more attractive

  4. 80% employment? “Our long-term aim is to raise the employment rate to 80 per cent.” “We will build on the successful Pathways to Work programme and reform Incapacity Benefit, with the main elements of the new benefit regime in place from 2008.”  Labour Party Manifesto 2005 “We are determined to go much further and will set a new aspiration of moving towards the equivalent of 80 per cent of the working-age population in work.” DWP Five year Strategy (Feb 2005) & the Welfare Reform Green Paper (Feb 2006)

  5. We will need …. • 2.8 million more people in work • On current trend it will take 12 years • Assuming the jobs are created, who do we need to get into work, and ….. • close employment gaps • not fuel inflation.

  6. Closing the gaps

  7. Southern England male employment is over 80%

  8. Most able-bodied people are over 80%

  9. White population has higher employment

  10. All mothers are below 80%, but big gap for lone parents

  11. Every region has over 80% for NVQ3+

  12. Homeless people and work The qualitative research base and anecdotal evidence shows: • Low employment rates -- approx 5% of hostel residents in work, but decreasing • But, a desire to work -- strong awareness of the multiple benefits of paid employment, work aspirations are there to build on (St Mungo’s research).

  13. Employment support • A varied range: from nothing, to structured programmes of ‘meaningful activities’, to formal agreements that require residents to participate in learning and employability services. • No cross sector of evaluation. • New research for Off the Streets and Into Work (OSW) which has mapped all of the models on offer in London and the Northeast.

  14. New Deal 18-24 returners Sept 2001 – Sept 2003

  15. Reaching 80% in the Cities

  16. Who is poor?

  17. The welfare reform bill • Reducing by 1 million the number receiving IB • Helping 300,000 lone parents into work • Increasing by 1 million the number of older workers. • City Strategies – consortia of local partners with a shared interest in improving emp rates. Bids to receive start up £ and rewards (focus on areas of inactivity – cities). In Scotland: Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee

  18. Other issues • Jobcentre Plus and learning services need to go ‘where no service has gone before.’ • LHA pilots - rapid roll-out, but there needs to be acknowledgement that the HB taper and high hostel rents remain a barrier to employment • KEY ARGUMENT: Significant proportion of homeless people want to work – this can help the Government meet its 80% goal

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