Welfare Reform – listen to the people at the sharp end

I have recently finished some research on unemployment in Wales and have been talking to those in receipt of benefits and those working in the Jobcentres.

For obvious reasons I can’t go into the full details but here are some of the things I can share :-

In an area of high and long term unemployment in the South Wales Valleys the local Jobcentre is currently dealing with four times as many claimants than they have capacity to deal with. As a result the managers had to change the signing on times which are a maximum of 4 mins; needless to say it’s leading to a sense of cattle herding as plenty of claimants pointed out to me.

In an area of North Wales where Youth unemployment is a real problem the local Jobcentre has had major success with a UK scheme to get youngsters back into work, but now the scheme is being stopped and there is no money available for the foreseeable future unless is taken away from another group of the unemployed.

Another Jobcentre in an area of average unemployment is due to close leaving staff out of work and claimants with a 40 mile round trip to sign on every fortnight, it’s ok if you have your own transport but one man told me the trip by bus to the alternative Jobcentre due to the infrequency of the buses would take him the best part of 4.5 hours.

These are just a few issues that I came across, but they all fitted into an overarching theme of a lack of confidence in those setting the rules - the politicians. Few believe any politicians actually understand welfare issues or believe they would listen to the advisors or claimants about how to get a more efficient system for all sides.

The anger wasn’t just confined to the new Conservatives/ Liberal Democrat Government new welfare proposals , many were as dismissive of the previous Labour Government when more Jobcentres were closed of merged with Social Security offices often in areas of high and long term unemployment in Wales and across the UK. It didn’t in the end save money as many of those Jobcentre’s had to be reopened with the big rise in unemployment that is continuing as a result of the recession.

The Department of Work and Pension responsible for Welfare has the biggest UK Government budget and will certainly be targeted to help reduce the deficit, but I wonder how many politicians and senior civil servants would be prepared to listen to those in receipt of benefit or those on the front line dealing with unemployment who know what works and what doesn’t, rather than ploughing ahead with their own ideas, by listening the UK might get a welfare system that is a safety net for those that need it as well as giving a helping hand to those who can get back to work.Any source