Work Programme failing over 70% of claimants, say MPs

A committee of MPs has found that almost 70% of the people who go through the government’s £5bn Work Programme don’t find long-term employment.

The Work and Pensions Select Committee said the programme, which was set up in 2011 to help the long-term unemployed and offers training to people on jobseekers and employment support allowance, is not working well for people with more “complex problems”.

The committee found that nearly 70% of those who attended the programme for two years failed to find long-term employment.

MPs on the committee suggested changes to the payments model currently in place and said people with addictions, illiteracy and the homeless should be better served.

The committee added that a separate, specialist scheme for people with “substantial disabilities” would help the government to meet its target of halving the employment rate gap between able-bodied and disabled people.

Committee chairman Frank Field said the Department for Work and Pensions "deserves credit for implementing a programme which, in general, produces results at least as good as before, for a greatly reduced cost per participant".

However, the Labour MP added: "We must not forget that nearly 70% of participants are completing the Work Programme without finding sustained employment. We must do much better."