This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-27177767

The article has changed 13 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 7 Version 8
Help to Work: New unemployment rules in force Help to Work: New unemployment rules in force
(about 1 hour later)
A new government scheme aimed at helping the long-term unemployed get jobs comes into effect on Monday. A new government scheme aimed at helping the long-term unemployed get jobs has come into effect.
Those who have not found work after two years on the existing Work Programme will have to enrol on the Help to Work scheme or face reduced benefits.Those who have not found work after two years on the existing Work Programme will have to enrol on the Help to Work scheme or face reduced benefits.
Participants will have to go to the job centre every day, some will be offered community work placements and others will receive intensive coaching. Some will have to go to the job centre every day, some will be offered community work placements and others will receive intensive coaching.
Those who fail to take part could lose jobless benefits for fixed periods.Those who fail to take part could lose jobless benefits for fixed periods.
They will lose jobseeker's allowance (JSA) for four weeks for their first failure, then 13 weeks for a second failure. They could lose jobseeker's allowance (JSA) for four weeks for their first failure, then 13 weeks for a second failure.
'Huge waste''Huge waste'
Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said: "Everyone with the ability to work should be given the support and opportunity to do so.Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said: "Everyone with the ability to work should be given the support and opportunity to do so.
"The previous system wrote too many people off, which was a huge waste of potential for those individuals as well as for their families and the country as a whole.""The previous system wrote too many people off, which was a huge waste of potential for those individuals as well as for their families and the country as a whole."
The programme was first outlined by Chancellor George Osborne at last year's Conservative Party conference. Employment Minister Esther McVey said Help to Work was "absolutely not" about punishing people.
Employment Minister Esther McVey said the scheme was "absolutely not" about punishing people.
She said she and others involved cared "deeply" about helping people into work and "fulfilling their potential".She said she and others involved cared "deeply" about helping people into work and "fulfilling their potential".
The people targeted by the Help to Work scheme were the "hardest to help" and the government wanted to give them "extra support", she added. The people targeted by the scheme were the "hardest to help" and the government wanted to give them "extra support", she added.
Labour says that the government has mis-diagnosed the problem. Labour says that the government has misdiagnosed the problem.
Stephen Timms, shadow employment minister, said: "Under David Cameron's government nearly one in 10 people claiming JSA lack basic literacy skills and many more are unable to do simple maths or send an email. Stephen Timms, shadow employment minister, said the introduction of Help to Work was a "reflection that previous policies haven't worked".
"A Labour government will introduce a basic skills test to assess all new claimants for JSA within six weeks of claiming benefits." "In fact more people go from the Work Programme, having completed two years on it, straight back to the Job Centre than get a sustained job outcome," he said.
Community service 'sentence'
A pilot of Help to Work, involving more than 15,000 people, showed the percentage claiming benefits at the end was only 2-4% less (64-66% compared to 68%) than a control group of people who received standard Job Centre support.
Jonathan Portes, of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, said the trial showed "positive effects" - but those effects were "very small".
Joanna Long, of campaign group Boycott Workfare, which opposes "forced unpaid work" for people on benefits, said Help to Work would fail to help people get jobs.
"It's failed to garner support even from the charities that are already involved in its other workfare schemes because even they won't touch something so punitive as a six-month community service sentence."
BBC social affairs correspondent Michael Buchanan said the government had signed up more than 70 organisations to provide work experience under the scheme.BBC social affairs correspondent Michael Buchanan said the government had signed up more than 70 organisations to provide work experience under the scheme.
'Free labour'
However, our correspondent added that the Salvation Army is not taking part, because it believes if someone has not found a job after two years of intensive support, their lack of work experience is not their only barrier to employment.However, our correspondent added that the Salvation Army is not taking part, because it believes if someone has not found a job after two years of intensive support, their lack of work experience is not their only barrier to employment.
Oxfam and the YMCA are also refusing to take part, he said.
Robert Jones, 56, who has been unemployed for more than three years and has been on the Work Programme for almost two years, said the government "don't care" if people are unemployed.Robert Jones, 56, who has been unemployed for more than three years and has been on the Work Programme for almost two years, said the government "don't care" if people are unemployed.
"If you listen to the rhetoric of MPs it's not about getting people into work, they always talk about getting people off benefit, and I think that's their emphasis," he said."If you listen to the rhetoric of MPs it's not about getting people into work, they always talk about getting people off benefit, and I think that's their emphasis," he said.
And Mr Jones said the work experience element of the Help to Work scheme could "destroy jobs" by giving employers access to "free labour".
Benefits changesBenefits changes
Also on Monday, those wanting to claim JSA will have to prove they are ready for work before they can apply.Also on Monday, those wanting to claim JSA will have to prove they are ready for work before they can apply.
The government has said the changes will help to put an end to the "one-way street in benefits".The government has said the changes will help to put an end to the "one-way street in benefits".
But the TUC says the rules could discourage more people from claiming it.But the TUC says the rules could discourage more people from claiming it.
"Making the JSA rules tougher and tougher will put people off claiming the benefits they need without doing much to help them get jobs," said Frances O'Grady, the TUC's general secretary."Making the JSA rules tougher and tougher will put people off claiming the benefits they need without doing much to help them get jobs," said Frances O'Grady, the TUC's general secretary.
But the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said there was no evidence that people would be put off claiming.But the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said there was no evidence that people would be put off claiming.
Are you in the UK and unemployed? Are you on the existing Work Programme? Will you be enrolling on the new Help to Work scheme? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with the subject title 'Work'.Are you in the UK and unemployed? Are you on the existing Work Programme? Will you be enrolling on the new Help to Work scheme? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with the subject title 'Work'.