After reviewing the latest set of unemployment figures heather Kidd called for the Government to look urgently at the gaps in the safety net to make sure that people who are out of work are getting the support that they need to see them through this difficult period.
Commenting on the figures which reveal that unemployment has soared to around 2.44m – the highest figure since 1995, Heather Kidd supported Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Steve Webb views
“For many people who’ve never experienced unemployment before, Gordon Brown’s rhetoric about getting people back to work will feel like cold comfort. The widening gap between the number of unemployed people and the number of people claiming benefits shows vulnerable people aren’t getting the help they need. The Government needs to look urgently at the gaps in the safety net to make sure that people who are out of work are getting the support that they need to see them through this difficult period. Unemployment assistance needs to be more personalised and Job Centre staff need to be given the resources necessary to help people get back on their feet quickly. Young people should be getting intensive support as soon as they sign on instead of having to wait a year for a guarantee of a job or training place. With vacancies at a record low, it is vital that we prevent today’s school and university leavers from becoming a lost generation of long-term unemployed. More money should be given to the front line rather than to bureaucrats.”