Five ways Keir Starmer could spend £240,000,000 to ‘Get Britain Working’

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a new plan to ‘get Britain working again’ and tackle ‘economic inactivity’.

The ‘Get Britain Working White Paper’ will be announced today by Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall and aims to get more than 2 million back into work – with an estimated price tag of £240,000,000.

‘We will make sure everyone, regardless of their background, age, ethnicity, health, disability or postcode can benefit from the dignity and purpose work can bring,’ she said.

Unemployment rates stand at 1.5 million people but economic inactivity has soared to more than 9 million, with a further 2.8 million people out of work due to long-term sickness.

During the election, Labour promised to increase the employment rate to 80% from its current level of around 75%, which would mean around two million more people in work.

There are multiple ways Labour will likely plan to do this, ranging from expanding mental health support to replacing Jobcentres with a new National Jobs and Careers Service.

Cutting waiting times for health support

Easier access to mental health support and the NHS could help prevent those who are healthy from leaving the workforce.

Ms Kendall’s plans will see an expansion of mental health support and efforts to tackle obesity, all of which could create a healthier workforce.

Efforts to fix the NHS include deploying extra staff to cut waiting lists in areas of high inactivity, expanding access to mental health support, as well as a greater focus on prevention to stop people becoming ill in the first place.

Improving statutory sick pay

The Employment Rights Bill was pushed through Parliament last month.

At the time, it was praised for providing the opportunity to reform statutory sick pay (SSP) and support more people with mental health problems to thrive in the workplace.

An independent review will also be launched into how employers can be better supported to employ people with disabilities health conditions, and to keep them in the workplace, ensuring that more people can benefit from a sense of dignity, purpose and financial independence.

Improving Jobcentres

Alongside improving health, the Government’s plans will see Jobcentres replaced by a new National Jobs and Careers Service.

The outdated Jobcentre system will also be transformed into a new national jobs and careers service, focused on people’s skills and careers instead of just monitoring and managing benefit claims.

Mayors and councils will be empowered to join up local work, health and skills support in ways that meet the specific needs of their local areas.

Backed by £55 million, the new system is expected to focus on helping people back into work rather than monitoring benefit claims.

Providing incentives for flexible working

The Labour government has said it wants to ensure employers have to offer flexible hours from day one, except where it is ‘not reasonably feasible.

This could allow more flexibility for workers who need it, including new parents and those who are ill, among others.

The move is similar to some in the Government’s Employment Right’s Bill was created to fight job insecurity and expand flexible working.

Additional employment and training opportunities for young people

The government is also delivering a new Youth Guarantee so every young person has access to education or training to help them find a job and transforming the Apprenticeship Levy in England into a more flexible Growth and Skills Levy.

It’s backed by £40 million to expand opportunities for young people to develop skills and get into work.

Further reforms

Building on these reforms, the government will bring forward measures to overhaul the health and disability benefits system so it better supports people to enter and remain in work and to tackle the spiralling benefits bill.

A consultation will be published in Spring as part of a commitment to put the views and voices of disabled people at the heart of any policy changes that directly affect them.

The driving purpose behind this new approach is to enable everyone to have the opportunity of secure, rewarding and fulfilling work.

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