Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (): Today I am announcing plans to Get Britain
Working as part of the Government's number one mission:
growing the economy.
We have seen record numbers – 2.8 million – excluded from the
workforce due to long-term sickness and nearly 1 million young
people – 1 in 8 – are not in education, employment, or training.
The plans we are setting out will deliver an employment support
system that addresses the labour market challenges of today and
tomorrow.
We will set a long-term ambition to get to an 80% employment
rate, alongside helping more people out of low paid and
poor-quality work. To support this, I will work across Government
to deliver fundamental reform in three areas:
- Undertaking a major overhaul of Jobcentres. Bringing together
Jobcentre Plus and the National Careers Service to create a new
national jobs and careers service focused on helping people get
into work and get on at work, not only on monitoring and managing
benefit claims.
- Establishing a Youth Guarantee. Offering training, an
apprenticeship, or help to find work for all young people aged 18
to 21.
- Empowering local leaders and local areas to tackle economic
inactivity. We will give local places the responsibility and
resources to design a joined-up work, health and skills offer
that's right for local people – as a key part of their Local
Growth Plans. DWP will support local areas to make a success of
this new approach, including through devolving new powers over
employment support to catalyse local action and change.
To drive these changes forward, as part of our growth mission,
the Government will publish a White Paper, to set out the policy
framework for delivering on these manifesto commitments.
To help inform and shape our new approach, I will also be
establishing a Labour Market Advisory Board of leading experts,
chaired by Professor Paul Gregg, who will provide my department
with insight, ideas, and challenge as we design and drive a
fundamentally new approach.