A Labour government would work with JobCentres to help the long-term sick get back to work, according to shadow work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall.
In an interview with The Times newspaper this weekend, she said that economic growth and improvements to public services hinged on bringing down record levels of long-term sickness.
Recently, the Office for National Statistics revised its figures on economic inactivity after concluding that the proportion of the working age population that is not working – often due to long-term sickness – is higher than expected.
It revised its estimate up to 21.9% for the period between September and November 2023, from 21.2% it had previously estimated.
Kendall said that reducing the 9.3 million economically inactive adults would be “critical” for a Starmer government, and would be underpinned by a “more effective benefits system”.
She added: “We can’t have a situation where economic inactivity, and its growing and persistent nature in this country, is threatening the future of the sustainability of our finances and the future of our public services … I know how important this is, primarily for people, but really for the mission of the next Labour government.”
Central to this would be the role of JobCentres, which she said should not be “places of fear”.
“What I don’t want is to have a situation where work coaches are spending all their time assessing and monitoring people, not giving them the opportunities they need,” she added.
“Quite frankly sending off 50 CVs when you haven’t got what you need, rather than ten, isn’t going to make any difference.”
Last November, the Department of Work and Pensions announced its Back to Work plan, which aims to move thousands of people off the benefits system – but threatened to remove their benefits if they refuse to engage with Work Coaches and Job Centres.
Kendall is seeking a “culture change” to the benefits system, so its approach shifts to working more collaboratively with local employers and bodies to draw up growth plans.
The NHS, which currently faces dire recruitment shortages, would also benefit from a more joined-up approach with JobCentres, she advised.
“It seems to me that we have to join it all up. JobCentres, plus employment support, plus skills and health need to work together.”
Last week, shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves emphasised the party’s “new deal for working people”, outlining how Labour will revise workers’ rights and work alongside both businesses and unions to grow productivity.
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