Letter to the Chairman of the Social Security
Select Committee from The Children's Society (SG4)
JOINT INQUIRY BY EMPLOYMENT SUB-COMMITTEE
AND SOCIAL SECURITY COMMITTEE INTO THE SINGLE WORK-FOCUSED GATEWAY
Further to the announcement of the above-mentioned
Inquiry, I am writing to express The Children's Society's interest
and to offer to provide oral evidence to the Inquiry.
As a national voluntary childcare organisation,
with over 90 projects across England and Wales, The Children's
Society works extensively with children and families living in
disadvantaged communities, and in conditions of poverty. The vast
majority of our users are living on benefits and will be affected
by the Single Work-focused Gateway.
We expressed concern at the time of the announcement
of the Welfare Reform Bill about the "work-focused interviews"
outlined, and produced a briefing for MPs on the subject (please
see attached)[1].
Consequently, we warmly welcome the forthcoming Inquiry and hope
we will be able to contribute to it the experience of our projects
and of the people who use them.
The Children's Society is concerned that there
may be a contradiction between the Government's commitment to
providing security for those who cannot work and the compulsory
nature of the work-focused interviews.
Amongst the users of our projects likely to
be affected by the Gateway, we are especially concerned about
the following:
— young people (New Deal for 18-24
year olds)
— mothers with young children
— mothers with large families (principally
from ethnic minorities)
— young people with disabilities
— lone parents who have recently experienced
family breakdown
— young people with low literacy skills
In situations where lone parents have very young
children, large families or have recently been involved in family
breakdown, or have been victims of domestic violence or a combination
of these circumstances, children will particularly need the support
and attention of their parent. Not only will they have suffered
major family disruption but also the loss of a parent. The added
worry of a work-focused interview is unlikely to be appropriate
or helpful in these situations. We are also very conscious of
the potentially inappropriate nature of a compulsory work-focused
interview for young people with disabilities who may be worried
about losing existing benefits by engaging in any paid work. Another
large constituency we serve are young people not in education,
training or employment who live in areas of high unemployment
and will be worried about losing their benefits.
We warmly welcome the personalised face-to-face
help for claimants. However, we are also concerned that Benefits
Agency staff should receive thorough training to deal with sensitive
situations and with clients who may have hearing, speech or sight
disabilities. Benefits Agency Offices should also be equipped
with baby changing facilities and toilets and be accessible to
people with disabilities.
We also seek assurances from the Government
around the timing of the interview. It should not, for example,
be too soon after the birth of a child, the breakdown of a relationship,
or bereavement or during periods of heavy caring.
We are also concerned about the emphasis being
placed on removing people from benefits, rather than helping them
find the most appropriate solution to their current situation.
We are particularly concerned about the performance-related pay
and rewards for sanctions available to Benefits Agency staff.
We would recommend that the interview should also provide advice
on the take-up of both in-work and out-of-work benefits.
The benefit penalty for those not attending
the interview concerns us, particularly with regard to the impact
this will have on children.
The Children's Society has provided evidence
in the past to the Social Security Select Committee and valued
the opportunity to communicate directly the concerns of children,
young people, and their families who are living on benefits. We
hope to do so again, either orally or in written form.
15 April 1999
1 Not printed. Back
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