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New pilot scheme creates mandatory work experience for long-term unemployed

People who have been out of work for more than two years will have the chance to participate in six months work experience under a new pilot scheme, launched by the Department of Works and Pensions (DWP).

The Work for Your Benefit (WfYB) pilots will see people work a compulsory 30 hour week to help improve their ‘employability.’

Secretary of State for the DWP, Yvette Cooper, said: “We are investing £5bn to help people who have lost their jobs. We are determined to give the right help and support to everyone who is unemployed.

“We want to make sure that short-term job losses are not allowed to turn into long-term unemployment, which can scar communities for generations.

“The longer people are left out of work, and without recent work experience, the harder it is to get a new job.”

Job seekers will effectively earn their benefits through the work experience, and failure to comply could lead to losing the weekly dole payments.

The pilots will initially launch in Manchester, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk, with the aim of rolling the scheme out nationally in two years.

They will be a last attempt for people who have already been offered “intensive support”, and will include either training options, short-term work trials, recruitment subsidiaries or voluntary work within the community.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .