Welfare Reform Bill

If a lone parent is in the progression-to-work group, with the youngest child aged three or four, the process would be through a work-focused interview with Jobcentre Plus and engagement in drawing up and agreeing co-operatively an action plan. There would then be a requirement to undertake that action plan in relation to work-related activity. The key is what is in the action plan, which is a powerful opportunity for the individual to engage and explain what she believes she can and cannot do. That is the co-operative process involved. We will not be rolling it out until it has been tested in pathfinders. The progression-to-work approach is based on the principle that most working-age benefit recipients should be taking active steps on the journey back to work, as I have just explained. We are confident that for the vast majority, this mix of support and encouragement will prove a positive process that helps people to improve their employment prospects. Before turning to the amendment in detail, I want to provide a clear assurance to noble Lords that those in the progression-to-work group will not be directed to look for or to start work but rather to undertake key work-related activities that will help them to prepare for either full-time or part-time work. Noble Lords will be aware that some customers will be closer to the labour market than others and may want to enter work more quickly. Others may want to undertake more limited activity, waiting until their child is older before moving into paid work. To accommodate that, we do not intend to have a specific definition of what work-related activity an individual should undertake. Rather, we want to establish the principle that everyone in the progression-to-work group is on an active journey towards work, but keeping the specific steps open for claimants and advisers to agree. As a result, parents who are eager to enter work, because they have acquired the skills necessary to do so and feel the time is right for them, may agree with an adviser that activities such as participation in voluntary work or work trials would be extremely beneficial in helping them move to that next step and have that accepted on their action plan as work-related activity. In such a situation, we would not want to deny parents the opportunity to do these activities—I think that was the point made by the noble Lord, Lord Skelmersdale—especially when by entering work they are not only moving their household out of poverty but also improving their life chances. Once recorded on the action plan, these activities would become a requirement and parents would need to show at future meetings that they had undertaken the activity and met the requirement. Failure to meet the requirements without good cause might result in a sanction being imposed because the action plan can always be renegotiated, as long as other agreed activities are suggested. Although this amendment reinforces our commitment that work-related activity will not include applying for, or being required to enter, work, it would remove some categories that could be counted as work-related activity by an adviser and benefit the individual concerned. That is why we are unable to accept it.