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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Welfare reform proposals awaited | Welfare reform proposals awaited |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The government is to lay out its plans for what it calls a "root and branch reform" of Britain's welfare system. | The government is to lay out its plans for what it calls a "root and branch reform" of Britain's welfare system. |
| Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith is set to create a welfare to work programme and make benefits more conditional on willingness to work. | Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith is set to create a welfare to work programme and make benefits more conditional on willingness to work. |
| He told the Guardian that at present the rewards for choosing to work were "very minimal" or even "none at all". | He told the Guardian that at present the rewards for choosing to work were "very minimal" or even "none at all". |
| In families where unemployment was widespread, those who did try get a job were often seen as "morons", he added. | In families where unemployment was widespread, those who did try get a job were often seen as "morons", he added. |
| Mr Duncan Smith, brought back into frontline politics by Prime Minister David Cameron, has spent several years in opposition preparing a blueprint for the future of the welfare state. | Mr Duncan Smith, brought back into frontline politics by Prime Minister David Cameron, has spent several years in opposition preparing a blueprint for the future of the welfare state. |
| The former Conservative Party leader is now responsible for pushing the government's Welfare Reform Bill - announced in Tuesday's Queen's Speech - through Parliament over the next few months. | The former Conservative Party leader is now responsible for pushing the government's Welfare Reform Bill - announced in Tuesday's Queen's Speech - through Parliament over the next few months. |
| Of most concern to the new government is the rise in the number of inactive people of working age claiming benefits. | Of most concern to the new government is the rise in the number of inactive people of working age claiming benefits. |
| The BBC's home affairs correspondent Tom Symonds said its proposals will include forcing the unemployed to sign up for welfare-to-work training schemes sooner than is currently required. | |
| Incapacity benefit | Incapacity benefit |
| Ministers want the long-term unemployed facing "the most serious barriers to work" to sign up to work and training programmes immediately and for those under 25 to get support within six months. | Ministers want the long-term unemployed facing "the most serious barriers to work" to sign up to work and training programmes immediately and for those under 25 to get support within six months. |
| They also want to speed up the assessment of all those on incapacity benefit - paid to those unable to work due to health problems. All those deemed able to work are likely to be moved onto jobseeker's allowance. | They also want to speed up the assessment of all those on incapacity benefit - paid to those unable to work due to health problems. All those deemed able to work are likely to be moved onto jobseeker's allowance. |
| Mr Duncan Smith told the Guardian: "People basically get parked on [incapacity] benefit and forgotten about. If you have been on this benefit for more than two years, you are likely to die on it." | Mr Duncan Smith told the Guardian: "People basically get parked on [incapacity] benefit and forgotten about. If you have been on this benefit for more than two years, you are likely to die on it." |
| Lots of different hard-headed politicians have come into this job saying they're going to do something different and walked out with the bills of social failure still rising Iain Duncan Smith | Lots of different hard-headed politicians have come into this job saying they're going to do something different and walked out with the bills of social failure still rising Iain Duncan Smith |
| At present, he said, the welfare system discouraged many of the five million people who are on benefits from working. | At present, he said, the welfare system discouraged many of the five million people who are on benefits from working. |
| "If you are unemployed and you come from a family that is unemployed, all you can see when you think about work is risk. It is a real risk because for all the efforts you make the rewards are very minimal and in some cases none at all. | "If you are unemployed and you come from a family that is unemployed, all you can see when you think about work is risk. It is a real risk because for all the efforts you make the rewards are very minimal and in some cases none at all. |
| "Socially, everyone says, 'You are a bloody moron - why are you doing this?"' | "Socially, everyone says, 'You are a bloody moron - why are you doing this?"' |
| He said those moved off incapacity benefit would be offered "intensive" support to find work and that all of the changes would be enacted "carefully and sensitively". | He said those moved off incapacity benefit would be offered "intensive" support to find work and that all of the changes would be enacted "carefully and sensitively". |
| Labour sought to increase incentives to work and introduce penalties for those unwilling to do so but the Conservatives said reforms must go further and faster to tackle the problem of long-term unemployment, which they say underpins many of the country's most deep-seated social problems. | Labour sought to increase incentives to work and introduce penalties for those unwilling to do so but the Conservatives said reforms must go further and faster to tackle the problem of long-term unemployment, which they say underpins many of the country's most deep-seated social problems. |
| During the campaign, the Tories called for a sliding scale of sanctions for those on benefits who turned down work. | During the campaign, the Tories called for a sliding scale of sanctions for those on benefits who turned down work. |
| As in all policy areas, the government's welfare agenda is having to reflect compromises reached between the Conservatives and the Lib Dems in their coalition agreement. | As in all policy areas, the government's welfare agenda is having to reflect compromises reached between the Conservatives and the Lib Dems in their coalition agreement. |
| 'Bills of failure' | 'Bills of failure' |
| The proposals are also likely to include paying welfare-to-work providers on a results-basis, loans to help unemployed people set up their own businesses and local work clubs where people out of work can share skills and make contacts. | The proposals are also likely to include paying welfare-to-work providers on a results-basis, loans to help unemployed people set up their own businesses and local work clubs where people out of work can share skills and make contacts. |
| The government may also say how it intends to end what it claims is a system that penalises those on benefits should they try to get a low-paid job. | The government may also say how it intends to end what it claims is a system that penalises those on benefits should they try to get a low-paid job. |
| As part of the changes, a new cabinet committee will be set up to co-ordinate the strategy between different government departments. | As part of the changes, a new cabinet committee will be set up to co-ordinate the strategy between different government departments. |
| In his interview, Mr Duncan-Smith hinted that he was prepared to reach out to sympathetic figures in the Labour Party to try and build a consensus over the reforms. | In his interview, Mr Duncan-Smith hinted that he was prepared to reach out to sympathetic figures in the Labour Party to try and build a consensus over the reforms. |
| "Lots of different hard-headed politicians have come into this job saying they're going to do something different and walked out with the bills of social failure still rising," he said. | "Lots of different hard-headed politicians have come into this job saying they're going to do something different and walked out with the bills of social failure still rising," he said. |
| "I'm determined that we take this once-in-a-generation chance to tie two parties together, and possibly elements of the third, to get the job done." | "I'm determined that we take this once-in-a-generation chance to tie two parties together, and possibly elements of the third, to get the job done." |