CONFERENCE: Cameron launches back to work agenda

From Paul Carter in Manchester

Every one of the 2.6 million people in the UK claiming Incapacity Benefit will be retested on their fitness for work under proposals being put forward by the Conservatives.

As part of the party’s new welfare reform policy, called ‘The Work Programme’, those found to be suitable for employment would be moved onto Jobseekers Allowance, reducing their benefit by £25 a week

Private sector ‘work providers’ would then be used, and paid fees dependant on getting people into sustainable work.

The party said the system would be funded by “reallocating” funding from existing New Deal and Pathways To Work schemes.

Conservative leader David Cameron, currently in Manchester at his party’s conference, said that Britain was now facing a twin debt and jobs crisis, and that the two were very much linked.

He said: “Labour are now the party of unemployment. I want the new Conservative Party to be the party of jobs and opportunity and at the heart of it is a big, bold and radical scheme to get millions of people back to work.”

Ruth Scott, Director of Policy and Campaigns at disability charity Scope, said: “We welcome any sensible policy which encourages and supports disabled people into work. We know there are lots of barriers that prevent disabled people finding jobs, but simply cutting benefits does not remove them. We need to move away from the notion that disabled people do not want to work and address the practical barriers that they face, such as greater competition for jobs in a recession, inaccessible transport, inadequate social care provision, and the negative attitudes of some employers.”