Download - Welfare Reform Policy Forum Presentation
Tackling Poverty & Challenges of Welfare Reform: A New ApproachTina McKenzie FIRP
Managing Director, PeoplePlus NINI Director, Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC)
• UK’s largest Employment Support organisation
• Deliver over 50 contracts for 20 funding bodies in over 150 locations in Northern Ireland, GB, Australia and Saudi Arabia
Local Expertise, Global ReachWho are PeoplePlus?
• Steps 2 Success Prime Contractor for Northern Region
• Deliverer of the Building Employment through Education project
• Links with NI’s largest employers across growing sectors in the region
Local Expertise, Global ReachWho are PeoplePlus?
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• Focus in NI has been on skills development
• Just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to supporting people into employment
Linking People, Skills and JobsHow do we tackle poverty?
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A person skilled to Level 4 on average earns over £20,000 more per year than someone skilled to Level 1 and 2
NI Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings
Why skills?How do we tackle poverty?
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• 37% of pupils leave school without 5 GCSEs A*-C including English and Maths (DE NI School Leavers Survey)
• Northern Ireland has highest proportion of population with no qualifications (19% versus 10% UK average) – (Annual Population Survey)
Why skills?How do we tackle poverty?
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Northern Ireland has lowest proportion of population with qualifications at Level 4 and above (31% versus 38% UK average)
Why skills?How do we tackle poverty?
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• Strong association between worklessness and poor health (Waddell & Burton 2006)
• Our survey of >10,000 people in NI in our programmes shows ill-health is the primary self-identified barrier to employment
Health and employmentBut is this the only answer?
40%
29%
15%
10%
6%
Barriers to Employment
Health Issues
Transport
Essential Skills Need
No CV
Childcare/Caring
9
• Recent increases of ESA claimants compared to JSA
• Combining these benefits and others into Universal Credit
• How best to identify and help people with work-limiting health conditions who with support could move into work?
ContextChallenges of Welfare Reform
Source: NI Benefits Statistics Summary May 2015 (DSD)
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This in addition to high levels of economic inactivity (27% in NI compared to average of 22% in UK) – some may not necessarily be in receipt of ESA or other benefits
Combating Economic InactivityChallenges of Welfare Reform
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• Tightening labour market means employers beginning to look for innovative solutions to recruit the best staff
• 46% of working-age population wants more flexibility at work
• Many employers daunted by how best to accommodate someone with caring responsibilities or a work-limiting health condition
Changing attitudes among employersIs solution just person-centred?
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Supporting employers on reasonable accommodationsHolistic Support + Employer Input
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• Must ensure implementation of Universal Credit does not obscure figures – must be able to clearly identify how we can best support people back into work
• Better links between health service and employment services to help people who, with the right support, can move into work
• Working with employers to identify reasonable accommodations for people joining their staff
Linking health and employment supportSolutions