Welfare to work to washed up.

Many thanks to the friend who recently drew my attention to this article in the Guardian. It's an excellent description of the problems facing those on JSA and similar benefits who are trying to move into work, but finding that the only jobs available are unstable or temporary, pay less per week than they would get on benefits.
I know that when I've been unemployed I've been put off temping (and therefore acquiring greater skills and experience which would help me have a better chance of getting a full time job) by the knowledge that the system can't cope with someone who may be employed for two weeks, and then be left jobless again, and have to reapply for benefits all over again with delays of weeks before the money comes through- by which time they might have had another couple of weeks work come through.

I imagine that anyone who's been on JSA, housing benefit etc would tell you that, although the welfare system is a great deal better than nothing, it is seriously in need of reform. I've written before on this blog about the inconsistencies that state you somehow need less help if you're 24 than if you're 26, or if you're living with others rather than alone or with your family. It's nice to know that someone is trying to draw the attention of the media to the need for reform- since politicians are nowadays too scared of the media to attempt to do anything it opposes, it suggests the possibility of something happening, although sadly in the current economic state that's unlikely, as it would probably involve spending money, the very thing that other parts of the media are determined to criticise the government for doing.

At present, with the recent increases in unemployed people, the system is I suspect too busy trying to cope to be able to spare any time or money to plan reform. Since in the opinions of some people, spending money is a Bad Thing the mechanics of the welfare system are probably trying to cope with as few people and as little money as possible. There seems to be a reluctance to admit that if you want a system to run smoothly you need to have enough workers to cope easily with a regular flow, and to pick up the strain when there's a sudden rush.

The problem of delays and complications is not helped by the fact that there are just so many different benefits. Jobseekers allowance, housing benefit, council tax benefit, working tax credits, disability living allowance, carers allowance to name just the ones I can think of. Most have to be applied for separately, and are handled separately with no reference to each other, although since some can be claimed at the same time as others you would think it might save some time and errors if the details could be compared across the board, rather than two or three different forms having to be filled in and processed separately despite containing more or less the same information.

You can't help but think that a simpler system would be easier for both those needing to claim benefits and those who have to administer them. I work at a solicitor's where we often deal with cases of benefit fraud. Sometimes it appears that someone, who's being prosecuted for claiming for benefit A, which they are not entitled to, is in fact entitled to benefit B, which would have given them the same amount that they are being prosecuted for claiming under benefit A. Given how complicated I found the system and forms as a graduate, I shouldn't be surprised if some people find themselves committing benefit fraud by accident! I don't deny that many people are deliberately claiming money they aren't entitled too, but surely a simpler system would make it easier to spot those who are doing that.

Of course no system's going to be perfect, and while ours is a long way from being perfect I am very, very glad it exists at all. But reform is going to be necessary to help people who are currently faced with taking a big risk in leaving the safety of benefits for the uncertainty of the job market. The current system just isn't designed for the modern job culture. Reform is urgently needed to ensure that the most vulnerable in our society are cared for, and that hopes and aspirations of young people are not destroyed by risk and disappointment.