Big DWP crackdown coming with people on benefits told 'how it could affect you'

Department for Work and Pensions claimants have been handed a massive update over how a Jobcentre reform and crackdown "will affect you". The DWP has published the Get Britain Working white paper, aimed at achieving an ambitious 80 per cent employment rate.

Sir Keir Starmer has also said he will clamp down on the benefits bill by targeting fraudsters who are trying to "game the system". Under the proposals, the government will offer a "youth guarantee scheme" whichwill offer all young people in England between the ages of 18-21 access to an apprenticeship, training or education.

Those who fail to take up the offers face being sanctioned. Labour Party leader Starmer has said the welfare bill is "blighting our society" and has pledged to target those who "game the system". The PM said "make no mistake, we will get to grips with the bulging benefits bill blighting our society".

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Around £137billion is set to be spent on welfare benefits in 2024 to 2025, including £90billion to support disabled people and people with health conditions disability and £35billion for housing benefit. In an article for the Mail on Sunday, Mr Starmer said the reforms will not "sow division" by describing people on benefits as "shirkers", but would instead "treat people with dignity and respect".

Labour is expected to honour a £3billion cut to the welfare bill that was promised by the Tories. Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, who has long called for mayors to have more power over employment policy, said: "For people to be working well, they have to be living well – and the current job support system cannot do that with a narrow, box-ticking focus.

"Greater Manchester has already got a proven track record of helping people back into work. Our focus is on names and not numbers, and on providing a more empowering, more supportive experience within the community. This trailblazer will enable us to build on strong foundations and develop Live Well on a bigger scale, so we can tackle the root causes of inequality and help more people get good jobs here in our city-region."