Welfare Reform on the Web (July 2008): Social security - UK - New Deal

Defending our welfare provision

Anon

Labour Research, June 2008, p. 17-18

Government is committed to contracting out employment services traditionally provided by Jobcentre Plus to the private and voluntary sectors. Large international providers of welfare-to-work services are keen to enter the potentially lucrative UK market. However there is no evidence that private and voluntary providers can offer any service improvement compared to Jobcentre Plus.

Purnell aims to give job seekers more choice

P. Wintour

The Guardian, June 25th 2008, p. 15

James Purnell, the Work and Pensions Secretary has proposed allowing benefit claimants to choose between using public, private or voluntary-run job centres in their area, stating that 'claimants should have the choice over how to get back to work, not whether they go back to work'.