You are:

Welfare white paper regressive says PCS

10 December 2008

PCS branded today's government White Paper on welfare reform as regressive and warned that the proposals would create a private sector monopoly of welfare provision whose motives would be profits and not people.

The union urged the government to listen to the growing opposition from across civil society to its plans and expressed deep concern over punitive measures that will stigmatise some of the most disadvantaged in society.

The White Paper includes the outsourcing of work to the private and third sector. The union maintained that there was no evidence suggesting that the private and third sectors outperformed Jobcentre Plus and the public sector.

With the economic situation worsening, the union warned that there weren’t the skills or the capacity in the private and third sectors to deliver and that contracts would be awarded to handful of large private corporations.

PCS argued that the commercialisation of the welfare state and payment by results would inevitably lead to contractors concentrating on more job ready clients, whilst ignoring those who required more support in order to hit their targets.

Commenting, Mark Serwotka, general secretary, said: “The government is in danger of losing its moral compass. What we are seeing is an attack on the welfare state, where the motivation is profit, not people and where the emphasis on support is replaced by an authoritarian regime.

"What Jobcentres need are job vacancies not punitive sanctions. The proposals are heavy on penalties and benefit cuts, but vague about what help will be available to improve skills.

“The White Paper not only stigmatises people, but will see the third sector used as a Trojan horse for a private sector monopoly at the heart of the welfare sate.

"This commercialisation of the welfare state and payment by results will inevitably lead to contractors concentrating on more job ready clients, whilst ignoring those who require more support in order to hit their targets.

“The government needs to pay heed to the growing chorus of opposition to their plans for welfare reform and put its faith in the professionalism of jobcentre workers who have consistently out performed the private sector in getting people back into work.”
 

View all News

Social Bookmarking

How to use social bookmarking