Senior advisor questions govt work plans
Fri 21 Nov 2008
A senior government advisor has questioned government plans to help get people back into work, the BBC has reported.
Sir Richard Tilt, head of the social security advisory committee said the Labour Party's welfare to work reforms should be delayed.
The government's benefit system is soon to change, with some income support payments to be replaced by jobseekers allowance, for claimants actively seeking work.
Sir Richard is concerned that anyone not complying with new benefit rules will lose payments and be pushed closer to poverty.
The Work and Pensions secretary James Purnell said the new welfare plans will help lone parents look for work and insisted the government was "not forcing people to work and leave benefits".
"What we are saying is people should take up the support which we know works," he told BBC Radio 4's Today show.
Official figures show unemployment is rising, although there are still many vacancies for office jobs in Manchester and call centre jobs in Liverpool.
