Yesterday, accompanied by Tony Power, I took part in hustings at Langley Park School for Boys in the afternoon and in the evening I canvassed in Hayes. All registered candidates were present at the hustings and the audience was from the 6th form. Whilst I was preparing for the session in the hall Tony, in his capacity as political agent, briefed a few students on the rules of elections. For my part I discussed job prospects some other students. They knew exactly what they wanted to do in life but we did go on to talk about unemployment in general and how the Government was dealing with it.
Of course it is utterly right that work should always be more attractive than unemployment. Work should always pay. In 2010 there were 1.4 million people living in our country who had spent the best part of 10 years or so on benefits. Some of them had never worked in their lives. In truth that is dreadful – for their own dignity most of all.
After I left the Army there was a period where I was technically unemployed. Periodically I had to report to the Jobcentre – not to draw benefits as I had sufficient savings but simply to register myself so as to maintain my National Insurance Contributions. I will never forget how I felt as I went into the place. Despite the staff being decent and kind I was really embarrassed to have to go there. So I do understand a little of what it feels like to be unemployed. I hated it myself and I’m sure the vast majority of unemployed people do too.
I believe very strongly that we should help people to find work whilst recognising that there will be some who simply cannot work. Of course those people must be looked after properly by the State.
In 2010 the benefits system was very complicated. That is why Iain Duncan-Smith has been spearheading a Universal Credit system over the last 5 years. This is a new single method of means-tested support for working age people who are in or out of work. It will try to ensure that people are better off in work than on benefits and that they find it easier to start a new job or work more hours. As earnings increase the payment received will gradually decrease – so that benefits are not lost when people start working.
Universal Credit will centralise a variety of benefits into one single payment which will be paid monthly to reflect how most employers pay their staff. It will be rolled out to every Jobcentre and local authority by the end of 2016.