Peterborough's MPs back Government welfare reforms to end city's 'youth unemployment hotspot' tag

Peterborough’s MPs have welcomed Government action on welfare reform that he says could help more of the city’s unemployed young people into the workplace.

Andrew Pakes, MP for Peterborough, and North West Cambridgeshire MP Sam Carling have backed plans unveiled yesterday (March 18) by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Liz Kendall, for major changes to the UK’s benefits system in a bid to cut welfare spending by about £5 billion.

The proposed transformation of welfare is intended to bring a new focus on getting more claimants into work but it will also mean changes to disability benefits payments and alterations to Universal Credit payments.

There will be cuts in spending on health-related benefits and a new duty on claimants to engage with job support programmes.

A centre-piece of the proposed measures will be a £1 billion investment in back-to-work programmes.

The measures are contained in a new Green Paper, which is out for public consultation.

During a debate in the House of Commons Mr Pakes told MPs: “Peterborough is a youth unemployment hotspot.

"I know not many Members are left on the Opposition Benches, but one of the most shameful parts of their record has been writing off a generation, with one in eight young people not in education, earning or training.

"There is nothing progressive or good about a Government which writes off young people and puts them on benefits.

"I welcome the work that the Secretary of State has announced about employment support services for young people.

"Will she speak more about my passion, which is the Government’s youth guarantee and how we put into reality youth jobs for the future?

In reply Liz Kendall said: “Young people in his constituency are much more likely to be unemployed than young people in the rest of the country, and I know his passion for the youth guarantee.

"We are investing extra support into the youth guarantee in his area, and I look forward to launching that youth guarantee very soon.”

After the debate, Mr Carling said: “These reforms - and the additional £1 billion investment into supporting people into employment - are a step towards making sure that people have the right support to work, while ensuring our welfare system continues to provide appropriate support, particularly for disabled people.

“Most people want to work, but too often, the system makes it too risky - forcing them to choose between trying employment or keeping the support they rely on.

"Reforming Jobcentres, improving healthcare access, and making benefits more flexible - so people can ease into work without losing everything - are important changes.

However, fairness is also at the heart of these reforms.

"We will protect people who can’t work due to serious illness or disability and end the unnecessary, repeated reassessments of those with conditions that won’t change."