Not working

As today's headlines announce rising unemployment, a news story that managed to slip off the radar before fully registering with the press is an accusation that ConDem plans for its new dynamic “Work Programme” will actually help less claimants than the scheme it is intended to replace.

Figures show that around 850,000 people went through the previous government's help programmes in 2009-10. These are to be scrapped due to “systemic inefficiencies” but officials now admit they only expect 605,000 people to go through the scheme in 2011-12 and 565,000 in 2012-13.

Whitehall sources came up with confusing and contradictory reasons for the drop and claimed there would be more intensive help for people at Job Centres – although this is disputed by programme managers.

Graham Hoyle, the chief executive of the Association of Learning Providers - who represents more than 100 firms and voluntary organisations bidding for Work Programme contracts - says "there is no question" that some of them will go out of business, and community groups or voluntary groups hoping to get contracts are particularly vulnerable.

He added, “Any enthusiasm [for the new system] is being held back by some considerable fear that the whole package doesn't stack up”