DWP minister issues warning of massive overhaul this autumn

Jobcentres are set to focus less on monitoring the benefits system and more on assisting individuals, especially young adults, into employment to lift them out of "scrapheap" circumstances. Employment Minister Alison McGovern has disclosed these plans in anticipation of a "big change" overhaul in the welfare and jobs regime expected to be detailed in a forthcoming government white paper this autumn.

McGovern said the 'lockdown generation' condemned to the 'scrapheap' will receive transformative support as part of sweeping reforms aimed at kick-starting the UKs employment sector. Recent data shows a troubling trend: nearly 900,000 young people are neither learning, earning, nor training an increase of 74,000 from the previous year. Furthermore, figures from the Office for National Statistics indicate there are approximately 600,000 unemployed 16-24 year olds, 63,000 above pre-pandemic levels.

Additionally, there's been an alarming 29 percent surge in 16-24 year olds who are inactive due to long-term sickness, rising from 184,000 before the outbreak to a record 237,000 according to the latest figures. These comments come just before the release of an independent report which suggests transforming the Jobcentre Plus network and its associated services into a comprehensive employment support resource for everyone, including those jobless due to health conditions, not only for those claiming benefits.

The Commission on the Future of Employment Support's report suggests that the "draconian" requirements imposed on jobless benefits claimants, who are expected to spend 35 hours a week looking for work and face sanctions if they fail to meet these expectations, contribute significantly to the issue. This report will guide