Wednesday 20 June 2012

Going up

The news today is that unemployment is slightly down but the number claiming benefits is up.  There's a good analysis in the Independent.  Not even Chris Grayling can see much encouragement in the figures.  And, unusually, he doesn't try to cite the Work Programme as the solution.   One of the union leaders, Dave Prentis, points out that, "The number of people unemployed for more than two years continues to rise. We know that the longer someone is out of work, the more difficult it is to get back into it."
 The BBC this morning (Today on R4) followed 8 people who were put out of work when a shop closed.  5 of them are still unemployed months later, and aware that time is running out for them.  What a pity that the crisis around A4e scuppered the BBC's plans to follow a number of clients at A4e's Liverpool office.  (See my 8 Feb post.)  It was a project which began in November 2011, but presumably had to be killed.  The fact is that the Work Programme isn't working.

12 comments:

  1. Unemployment down but people claiming benefits up...I must be a bit dull,because this makes no sense,does this include people that have been sanctioned or put on various other programmes. The odds that the "Numbers" are being massaged are massive,is this info coming from the same people that are unable(or unwilling) to release the results of the Work Programme.

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    1. People can be out of work without claiming benefits - living on redundancy pay, for instance. So they come onto benefits at different times.

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    2. Even taking that into consideration they are still unemployed, but I do see your perspective.I use to do reports on energy use for tax exemption studies for manufacturing companies, which came under scrutiny by the Gov't and were often challenged by their engineers,there was always an allowance made for variables or as it was known "the massage factor" my personal feelings are that this goes on in most programmes, as there is not a real expectation that all the data will be gathered on time so assumptions are made,and depending what outcome is needed it may be pushed in the direction of a favourable one and if this is proven wrong at a later date, blame the lack of data.

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    3. I think the figures are straightforward, and not massaged. The number signing on at any given time is known, as is the number receiving benefits. The two figures are different, because although people sign on to get NI paid, they may not be eligible for benefits.

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    4. Agreed,why cannot they then come up with the success rate of the WP.

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  2. NoWorkProgramme20 June 2012 at 07:50

    The Work Programme is unworkable. Think about it. The provider only gains success if people are put into work and is a payment by results system. If the results are poor, and providers are hit with a divulge of unemployed adult's with the numbers going up and up, but not youths who currently get money automatically paid to the provider, a lot of providers stand to potentially go bust with too many unemployed adults on the books and that is no good for anyone.

    Logically the Work Programme should be scrapped and an alternative, provider-free solution introduced so it is more cost efficient, value for money to the tax payer and less people will get hurt in the long term, provider companies with dread filled expectations of insolvency included.

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  3. Sorry,off the topic but seems A4E who are running the Money Advice Service are at it again.

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    1. At what? We knew they had the Money Advice Service contract.

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    2. Bad performance a lot of money spent with little to show,the IFA and others state the advise given is poorly,this is not funded through the taxpayer but through a levy on them.The are being grilled (the MSA) by MP's and the quote of the day is"Crap service"

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    3. Thanks. Links are http://www.moneymarketing.co.uk/politics/10-questions-money-advice-service-needs-to-answer/1053217.article
      and http://www.ftadviser.com/2012/06/20/regulation/regulators/mps-blast-turner-over-money-advice-service-budget-hike-m3IpbG0bGQwXiLnNwe1RBN/article.html
      but note that they are not criticising the part of it which A4e delivers (which is the face-to-face part). It's more the website, and the cost.

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  4. Scarlet Pimpernel22 June 2012 at 04:30

    The Morning Star has an interesting article about providers and the black box method(s), a bit on topic but mostly general analysis:

    http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/news/content/view/full/120491

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  5. Hiya Historian,
    :( O joy: Go to Inside Housing/Finance re 1. "Govt to end extended payments" & 2. "Legal advice service to be scrapped..."
    :( My A4e "Money Advice" (?) last yr was a bloke 100% UNhelpfully babbling about the "Over 50s WTax Credit" I knew was being trashed. NO effort made AT ALL to provide written "Better Off In Work," calcs despite requesting he do so. Twice...
    From "Crofter Stock" x

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