In a speech at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, Sir Keir Starmer has voiced his support for measures aimed at encouraging long-term benefit claimants to return to work, describing the “basic proposition” that individuals should seek employment as the right approach.
This announcement was coupled with a pledge to introduce new laws designed to combat welfare fraud more effectively.
Starmer emphasized the importance of helping individuals with long-term sickness benefits re-enter the workforce where possible, promising tailored support to assist in the transition.
The Labour leader said that with the proper resources in place, people struggling with long-term illness could be empowered to return to work, rather than remain indefinitely on welfare.
As part of this broader push, the Prime Minister revealed plans for legislation that would expedite action against welfare fraudsters.
According to Labour estimates, this crackdown could potentially save taxpayers around £1.6 billion over the next five years, which would be recovered through the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) under the proposed Fraud, Error, and Debt Bill.
New Legislation Targets Welfare Fraud
“I think the basic proposition that you should look for work is right. Obviously, there will be hard cases, but the way I would do it is to say yes, that’s the basic proposition, but we also want to support that so that more people can get into work.”
Keir Starmer
Figures from the Office for National Statistics indicate that 2.8 million people are currently out of work due to long-term illness — 500,000 more than in 2019. This surge has prompted the government to take stronger action.
“I’ve gone out and looked at schemes where businesses are supporting people back into work from long-term sickness. Quite often, what lies behind this is fear — can they cope? Is it all going to go hopelessly wrong? Yes, they need to be back in the workplace where they can, but I do think that if we can put the right support in place, which I’ve seen pilots of, they work pretty well.”
Keir Starmer
He stressed the need to scale these successful pilot programs nationwide, ensuring that more people receive the help they need to return to work without the anxiety that currently holds them back.
NHS ‘Crack Teams’ To Tackle Economic Inactivity
Meanwhile, Health Secretary Wes Streeting will also announce a new initiative to address economic inactivity due to ill health. In a bid to bolster employment, Streeting will unveil “crack teams” of leading clinicians who will be sent to hospitals in areas of England with the highest rates of economic inactivity.
These senior doctors will work within 20 hospital trusts in regions where the largest numbers of people are unable to work due to health conditions. The goal of this initiative is to streamline patient treatment, helping people recover and return to employment more quickly.
Addressing the Labour Party conference, Streeting will pledge to “take the best of the NHS to the rest of the NHS” by implementing reforms that aim to improve efficiency and patient care across the country.
This focus on healthcare reform is designed to not only improve the lives of individuals suffering from long-term illness but also to address broader economic challenges by reducing inactivity rates and encouraging more people to return to work.
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