Liz Kendall, the new head of the Department for Work and Pensions, has launched a decisive initiative aimed at addressing unemployment.
Labour Cabinet Member Criticizes Conservative Approach to Universal Credit and PIP
Ms Kendall, the new Labour Party government Cabinet member, has spoken out, causing a big shake-up for Universal Credit and PIP applicants receiving benefits from the DWP.
She criticized the Conservatives' “divisive rhetoric about strivers versus scroungers” and promised to assist those who are desperate to return to work. She slammed the Tories of having “completely failed” to solve the issues that people face.
She blamed the former Government of giving precedence to “political point-scoring over problem-solving”. The DWP chief said: “Their divisive rhetoric about strivers versus scroungers or claiming people felt too 'bluesy' to work may have grabbed headlines, but it did absolutely nothing to actually get Britain working again.”
Labour Unveils Ambitious Plan to Revamp Work and Welfare Policies
Ms Kendall established a bold objective of attaining an employment rate of 80%, committing to reshape the Department for Work and Pensions from being “a department for welfare to being a department for work”. “We will only make commitments when we say how we can afford them,” she stated.
Paul Gregg, former Director of the Centre for Analysis of Social Policy at the University of Bath, will chair the Labour Market Advisory Board will meet quarterly to provide advice to the Work and Pensions Secretary providing expert guidance and critical feedback on the department’s plans.
Unveiling her new plans, Ms Kendall introduced an updated national jobs and career service designed to boost employment rates. This initiative includes the introduction of work, health, and skills programmes for the unemployed, managed by Mayors and local authorities. Additionally, Ms Kendall revealed a youth guarantee for all young adults aged 18 to 21.
She highlighted the persistent issue of many people being trapped in low-paying, low-quality jobs, noting that only one in six workers earning low wages in 2006 managed to improve their situation a decade later.