He added: “Our reforms put an end to the culture of blaming and shaming people who for too long haven’t been getting the support they need to get back to work. Helping people into decent, well-paid jobs and giving our children and young people the best start in life – that’s our plan to put more money in people’s pockets, unlock growth and make people better off.”
Here is everything we know about the Get Britain Working plans – including how Jobcentres could be changed, and how Labour has planned to ensure that “no young person is left behind”.
More support for people with long-term health conditions
With the white paper reporting that a quarter of all people aged 16 to 64 have a long-term health condition that limits their day-to-day activities, announcements include an additional £22.6bn in spending in 2025 to 2026 for the Department of Health and Social Care.
The government claimed that this could provide an additional 40,000 elective appointments a week in England. It added that extra capacity would be deployed to reduce waiting lists in 20 NHS Trusts across England with the highest levels of economic inactivity.
It would also deliver an additional 8,500 new mental health staff and also expand access to Individual Placement and Support (IPS) for severe mental illness, which it said would reach 140,000 more people by 2028 to 2029.
The white paper explained that a disability panel would be set up to “ensure the voices of disabled people are at the core of reforms”.
James Taylor, director of strategy at disability equality charity Scope, told the Big Issue: “There much that is positive about this white paper. The Connect to Work scheme and a desire to enhance the role of employers are both promising developments.
“But we still know there’s still a huge amount of anxiety about what changes the government is planning to make to the benefits system. Disabled people fear being forced into unsuitable jobs, or losing benefits if they engage with employment services. This lack of trust could seriously undermine the government’s plans to boost employment.
“As these plans develop, the government must remove these risks, and work with disabled people to transform employment support and fix our broken benefits system.”
Jobcentres around the country to be ‘overhauled’
The DWP announced that Jobcentres around the UK will be “overhauled” and replaced with the new National Jobs and Careers Service, alongside £55m of investment.
The changes involve using technology and AI to “bring Jobcentres into the 21st century”, while staff will be encouraged to “move away from the ‘tick-box’ culture” and offer a “more personalised service to jobseekers”. This will involve new coaching academies for Jobcentre staff to “better support people into work”.
Deven Ghelani, director of Policy in Practice, told the Big Issue: “The success of this plan will rely upon local partners like Jobcentre Plus and local authorities working together to proactively identify people who are out of work and then providing an engaging and effective support offer that brings together the best of what their local area has to offer.”
A ‘youth guarantee‘
The white paper laid out a ‘youth guarantee’, pledging that every 18 to 21-year old in England will have access to an apprenticeship, quality training and education opportunities or help to find a job.
It outlined partnerships with cultural and sporting organisations including the Premier League, Channel 4 and the Royal Shakespeare Company, which will reportedly offer work or learning opportunities to young people.
Additionally, eight youth “trailblazer” areas will be set up across the UK, with £45 million allocated to identify those most at risk of falling out of education or employment and match them to opportunities for education, training or work.
Secretary of State Liz Kendall wrote in an op-ed for the Telegraph that the new proposals should mean “every young person is either earning or learning – there should be no option of a life on benefits for young people”.
Earlier this week, Kendall told the BBC‘s Laura Kuenssberg that young people who refuse to work will face having their benefits cut.
Kendall added that the white paper “stands unashamedly for work”, and will look to boost employment levels “while driving down the benefit bill”.
Experts explained that while the white paper is a “step in the right direction”, any reforms must prioritise “fairness and compassion”, while moving away from “stigmatising” those who claim benefits.
Claire Atchia McMaster, director of income and external affairs at Turn2us, said: “By focusing on personalised support and linking health and employment services, the White Paper shows ambition to address the complex barriers people face in finding meaningful and secure jobs. We look forward to seeing more detail about how these reforms will work in practice.”
McMaster added: “However, significant questions remain on the role of conditionality and sanctions. Evidence shows sanctions don’t work – they push people further into crisis, impact mental health, and make financial security harder to achieve.
“At Turn2us we hear from people who are unable to afford essentials like food because of these punitive policies.”
She continued: “If the Government is serious about rebuilding trust in social security, it must lead with fairness and compassion when reforming other areas of the system. This includes moving away from outdated, stigmatising language about people who rely on support. Instead, we need a system that reflects the reality of people’s lives and recognises social security as a safety net we can all be proud of – just like the NHS.”
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