Jobless 'must earn their benefits'

4:09pm Sunday 20th July 2008

Radical changes to the benefits system will put responsibility "right at the heart of the welfare state", Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell has said.

Mr Purnell warned that people who did not "live up to that expectation" could lose their dole money.

But he said his proposals to force the jobless to work for their benefits would help transform the lives of millions of people across the country.

David Cameron promised the Government the support of Conservative MPs to get the measures in the Welfare Green Paper through Parliament in the face of a possible rebellion by Labour backbenchers.

The Tory leader said he was "thrilled" to find that Mr Purnell had adopted proposals put forward by the Conservatives in their own welfare reform package in January.

Mr Purnell said he welcomed the support because it meant doing "the right thing for the country". But he said the Tories were placing the emphasis on responsibility without providing any support.

The Government's reform package includes US-style "work for the dole" sanctions.

A leaked late draft of his Green Paper insists there can be "no right to a life on benefits" for anyone capable of working.

Pilot projects will test "compulsory full-time activity" for the long-term unemployed to ensure they make a "fair contribution" in return for state support. Unemployed drug addicts who lie to get benefits will be forced to repay the money and could face jail, while jobless people who take drugs will be banned from receiving dole money and transferred to a new 'Treatment Allowance'.

Other proposals include trials of new accounting rules, previously opposed by the Treasury, allowing private firms used to help people find jobs to be paid from resulting savings in benefits.

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