10 January 2023 , 16:56
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Benefit sanctions will continue under Labour as the party “fundamentally reforms” Universal Credit, the party’s welfare chief said today.
Jonathan Ashworth said conditions on people’s payments were “important” to uphold “rights and responsibilities” on both sides of the social security system.
Mr Ashworth today spelt out more detail of his plans to welfare reform, saying they would “prioritise wellbeing and security above all else”.
Under Jeremy Corbyn, the party pledged to suspend all benefit sanctions temporarily, then give “tailored support” instead of “rigid requirements and punishments”.
However, Mr Ashworth said: “I want to be clear - there will be a conditionality regime within the benefits system. There always has been.
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“Beveridge was clear in his White Paper 80 years ago that people who did not engage sufficiently with trying to find work, that would lead to consequences.
“Obviously a very different labour market and a very different social security system, but it should not be surprising that there will be conditionality.
“There will be rights and responsibilities running through social security, and that is important.
“It should run through social security all the time, and it will do under a Labour government.”
Mr Ashworth also said he would “fundamentally reform” Universal Credit, after Keir Starmer U-turned on his 2020 leadership promise to “scrap” it.
“We agree with the concept behind Universal Credit, which was to bring six different benefits together into a unified system of support,” he said.
“I don’t think anybody thinks it is sensible to go back to those six different benefits today,” the Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary added.
The “adequacy of the levels” of payment and the “complexity” are the problems with the benefit, he said.
Under Jeremy Corbyn, the party pledged to suspend all benefit sanctions temporarily, then give “tailored support” instead of “rigid requirements and punishments” (AFP via Getty Images)He said he would “simplify” the six-in-one benefit to “support families” and “incentivise” work, including looking at the five-week wait for first payment.
But he did not guarantee what changes he would make, saying all reform plans would be “fully costed” in an election manifesto.
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It came as he announced Jobcentres will “broker” work for the over-50s under Labour plans to tackle 2.5million people who are long-term sick.
Mr Ashworth announced he would give “genuine, quality, tailored support” joined up with the NHS to help people who want to return to a job.
And he branded the explosion in out-of-work people with health problems - up 500,000 since 2019 - a “growing burden” on the economy and individuals.
All over-50s who’ve recently left work, but not retired, would get targeted back-to-work support and guidance under the plan announced today.
Sick or disabled people of all ages will also be spared gruelling reassessments for their benefits if they take a job, and it doesn’t work out within a year.
In a speech at the CPS think tank co-founded by Tory Iain Duncan Smith, Mr Ashworth pledged to “de-risk the journey into work” if Labour get into government.
But he added benefit sanctions would remain for some who refuse to engage with the system.
Mr Ashworth stressed over-50s who have taken early retirement, draw down pensions or have caring responsibilities would not be forced back to work.
But he said hundreds of thousands “want to return” and “obviously if they are on Universal Credit, the conditionality regime” - benefit sanctions - “will apply”.