More than half (57%) of individuals made redundant, due to the government transition to the new look Work Programme, have been put off ever working in the sector again, according to research from Alderwood Welfare to Work. 

The government’s Work Programme, which aims to get the long-term unemployed back into work, consolidates and replaces many of the smaller welfare-related contracts previously run by the government. With just 20% of contracts being delivered by the same suppliers, there has been widespread redundancy.

Anton Roe, director at Alderwood, says: “The Work Programme does have real potential to make a difference to people’s lives and also to benefit the flailing UK economy. However, it’s important to note that the success of this reform is dependent on the availability of the right advisors with the right skills to ensure the long-term unemployed receive the proper support to get back into work.” 

Mike O’Toole, a casualty of the redundancy, adds: “I think that the financial incentives of the Work Programme will have the wrong effect. They will lead to contractors picking off those that are most employable in order to maximise financial gain. There is therefore a real risk that helping the long-term unemployed, a group which really does need assistance, will become a secondary objective.”