ippr welcomes more simplicity in benefits system but questions effectiveness of reforms on their own

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Iain Duncan Smith has today set out his plans for sweeping changes to the benefit system.

Kate Stanley, Deputy Director at ippr, said:

"ippr welcomes these proposals which are full of common sense - everyone agrees that the benefits system is far too complicated, difficult for people to navigate and in need of serious reform. If enacted, the government's plans could really help people understand where they stand when thinking about going back to work.

"But even these radical proposals will not solve the unemployment challenge by themselves - because they only look at one part of the problem. Most crucially they don't address the issue of whether there are enough jobs for the people who need them. With 2.5 million people unemployed and five jobseekers for every vacancy, it is difficult to see how today's welfare reform plans will tackle the real causes of worklessness. So as well as questions about the affordability of the government's proposals, there are also real questions about their effectiveness."

Read Kate Stanley's article for Guardian Comment is Free,Iain Duncan Smith's welfare reform deserves support

A longer report, One For All: Active welfare and the single working-age benefit by Dr Roy Sainsbury and Kate Stanley is available at www.ippr.org/publicationsandreports/publication.asp?id=552

Contact

ippr Media Manager: Nyta Mann 07979 602065 / 020 7470 6112