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Britain’s benefits system will not be sustainable without significant change, the Work and Pensions Secretary will argue as he sets out details of a planned review.
Mel Stride will champion reforms to Personal Independence Allowance (PIP) and announce new partnerships with employment centres and businesses aimed at plugging skills gaps and reducing the need for migrant workers.
He argues that “boot camps” that help unemployed people learn the skills they need to fill existing vacancies will be an important way to get unemployed people back into the workforce and cut overall benefits. will do.
Mr Stride and Rishi Sunak have already announced imminent changes to the welfare system, including the removal of PIP cash payments from some disabled people who currently receive benefits.
In his speech on Tuesday, the minister is expected to argue that reforms are essential given the significant increase in the number of claimants since the pandemic. A government official said, “Adult discussions are needed about whether some benefits are unsustainable.”
He will also argue that benefits changes should be part of a “whole-of-government approach” to reduce net migration by making it easier for employers to hire in the UK.
Ministers are developing a program to bring together employers, training providers and vocational centers to train the unemployed, modeled on plans used to alleviate the 2021 HGV driver shortage.
Mr. Stride is expected to say the following. “With the next generation of welfare reform, we are building a new economic model based on British talent, which will provide people at home with more opportunities to succeed, advance and increase their pay. I plan to.”
“As part of this, new visa rules introduced by the Home Secretary mean around 300,000 people who entered the country last year will not be able to comply with the new rules.
“We know this poses recruitment challenges for some employers in certain sectors, particularly those that have relied on immigrants in the past.
“But this is also a huge opportunity for thousands of job seekers in the domestic workforce to move into roles traditionally held by overseas workers.”
He further added: “For too long we have relied on labor from overseas, despite the great talent we have here in the UK. I am determined to set that right.”
It remains unclear how many of the proposed reforms will be passed into law before the general election later this year, and Labor will have to decide whether to continue with the reforms if they come to power. means.
Shadow minister Alison McGovern said: “After 14 years of Conservative failure, Mel Stride cannot escape the Labour record. The Conservatives have exhausted our skills and training system.”
“And now we have record levels of net migration. They should have a proper plan to address the worker shortages and adopt Labour’s plan to link the immigration system to skills, not set up another advice centre.”