New regulations will require individuals on long-term unemployment benefits to work in order to qualify for financial assistance. Chancellor George Osborne used the Conservative Party’s annual conference as an opportunity to explain changes designed to reduce ‘something for nothing’ plans within the benefit system.
People that have been unemployed for three years or more will face severe changes to the way their benefits are issued. Mr Osborne announced that, from April of next year onwards, long-term jobless will need to either attend a job centre every day or take part in workplace training in order to qualify for their benefits.
Other options include taking part in work placements designed to improve output and reduce the ‘something for nothing’ system that critics claim is costing the UK a great deal in tax revenue. The changes to benefit rules will affect 200,000 people as they come into effect next year.
The cuts to public spending are part of a dedicated effort to deliver a budget surplus, which Mr Osborne has claimed will provide ‘insurance against difficult times ahead’ for the United Kingdom.
Reductions to benefits and other public services could potentially reduce spending by billions of pounds every year. The government has promised that cuts will keep occurring if the Conservative Party wins the 2015 election.
The plans have attracted mixed feedback from the press, with news outlets noting that the change to the welfare system is the largest in recent history. Many of the jobs offered to beneficiaries have been the target of criticism from analysts.
Under the new rules, beneficiaries will need to take part in 30 hours per week of community work, or attend job centres daily. The community work includes job programmes such as cleaning graffiti, picking up litter, and assisting the elderly.
