Ministers' Plan to Use Work Coaches to Help Long-Term Unemployed Faces Skepticism
Ministers have announced plans to use 1,000 work coaches to help the long-term unemployed into work, but critics say only a tiny percentage of those who receive support will actually find a job. The Resolution Foundation estimates that only about 3% of the hundreds of thousands of people likely to lose benefit payments are likely to find employment, highlighting the challenges in delivering effective reforms. The government hopes moving thousands of people into jobs will help unlock the benefits of work and cut the rapidly rising cost of health and disability benefits.
- The use of work coaches may provide a crucial lifeline for individuals struggling with long-term sickness or disability, but it raises questions about the scalability and sustainability of such initiatives in the face of limited resources.
- How will policymakers balance the need to support vulnerable populations with the pressure to reduce welfare costs, particularly when the true cost of inactivity is estimated to be significantly higher than the actual benefits paid out?