The latest figures from the Government’s Work Programme are now available. The positive data show that the Programme continues to support the long term unemployed into meaningful employment:
- More than 208,000 of our hardest to help jobseekers have escaped long term unemployment and found lasting work – normally at least six months – an increase of 40,000 in the three months since the last publication in June. That’s 208,000 more people in work – meaning money in their pockets and a more secure future for themselves and their families.
- A further increase of just under 40,000 to 188,000 in the number of participants who, have then gone on to work for another six months (on average).
- 1.39 million “sustainment payments” had been made for the 188,000 participants. This is the equivalent of over 5 million extra weeks work beyond outcome payment, or over an extra 7 months in a job. This compares to 960,000 sustainment payments spread over 149,000 participants at the end of June 2013.
- Nearly a quarter of the people who joined the Work Programme right at the beginning – many of whom had been out of work for over a year when the scheme began – have had at least six months in work, with the majority of jobs achieved before anyone had finished the Work Programme.
However, the figures published today don’t tell the whole story. Many more people have started work but not reached the six month point yet. The recent industry figures show that 444,000 people had started work thanks to the Work Programme, an increase of over 60,000 in the three months.
In contrast to schemes under the previous Government, providers are incentivised to support people into long term, sustainable employment, because a higher proportion of their income comes from supporting people into a minimum of six months work, and keeping them there.
The Work Programme, which costs £4,500 for each job, has been designed to not only support people into long term employment, but deliver a better deal to the taxpayer.
