In short, the very system, which is intended to protect those who need it most, is letting them down. It doesn’t reflect their circumstances or needs.” Chief Executive
Case studies released by The Cyrenians show that an enforced 'mass benefit migration' of people who face multiple disadvantages is putting people at serious risk of offending and homelessness.
The Cyrenians is urging the Government to take account of the unintended consequences of their efforts to drive people into work through its existing practice and proposed welfare reform.
In particular, the Charity is warning of the potential for increases in anti-social behaviour such as drug and alcohol abuse and crime as a result.
The Cyrenians, which was voted ‘National Charity of the Year’ in 2008, helps vulnerable people to tackle issues such as alcohol and drug dependency, homelessness, lack of training, unemployment and exploitation, and supports them away from chaotic lives to stable, self-sustaining independence.
The Charity claims that for people attempting to reintegrate with society in a stable, structured and clean lifestyle, the widely criticised work capability assessments and Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) are proving too inflexible and punitive.
These issues particularly apply to people who have been moved off the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and are unable to meet the requirements of Job Seekers Allowance.
Chief Executive of The Cyrenians, Stephen Bell, explained:
“The issue arises due to the large number of criteria which must be met and conformed to for JSA eligibility. These requirements are aligned with punishing sanctions.
“The people we support are dealing with issues and challenges that create, in most cases, an almost unique further sanction. In short, their stage in recovery and circumstances almost automatically guarantees an inability to meet the required criteria.”
The Government proposes rigorous sanctions for non-compliance include tough one-strike, two-strike and three-strike rules, with the potential for penalties lasting up to three years.
Stephen Bell continued:
“The Government has said it is:
‘committed to fighting poverty; supporting the most vulnerable and helping people break the cycle of benefit dependency’ and that
‘the Work Programme is a structure that treats people as individuals and allows providers greater freedom to tailor the right support to the individual needs of each customer.’
“At The Cyrenians we are finding more and more vulnerable people who are being 'bounced' from one benefit to another. As a result they are often left without any income at all.
“Over 50% of the residents of Virginia House, our project which specialises in developing employment skills and helping people live independently, are affected.
“In short, the very system, which is intended to protect those who need it most, is letting them down, as it doesn’t reflect their circumstances or needs. It is too stringent and inflexible.”
The Cyrenians has an excellent reputation for getting people into work and welcomes a great many of the Government’s initiatives. The Charity believes that the challenge for the Government is to change current practices, which are resulting in vulnerable adults being marginalised further. The results, they say, are as damaging for society, as they are for the individual.
Stephen Bell added:
“Whilst we fully recognise the need for reform and that spending on welfare payments had to be brought under control, the stark fact is that the level of vulnerability we are dealing with and the levels of exclusion we are working to reverse require longer time frames and more flexibility than the current rules allow.
“The current policies are ill-thought through; the Government has rushed these changes.
“We are actively seeking opportunities to work with the Department for Work and Pensions to refine the rules as they stand.
“If the Government doesn’t spend money supporting people through greater flexibility it is not unreasonable to expect that we will all, as taxpayers, have to pick up the cost of people dropping back into exclusion.
“This would be seen through increased burden on the NHS and Police forces as people revert to anti-social behaviours such as drug and alcohol abuse fuelled by crime.”
On its website, the Department for Work and Pensions states that:
“The Work Programme will also ensure good value for money for the taxpayer by basing payments largely on results, and paying providers from the benefits saved from getting people into work. It is very much a partnership between Government and providers from across the public, private and third sectors - including social enterprises.”
