23 November 2005 - Europe’s experts meet to discuss steps to tackle inactivity
Employment Minister Margaret Hodge told European experts today.“The very survival of the welfare state depends on more people in work”
Addressing the Inactivity and Ill-health: challenges and solutions Conference in Cardiff Margaret Hodge said:
“Europe shares common challenges and goals – an ageing population and an increasingly global economy. Economic inactivity, specifically due to ill health, is fast becoming the big issue of the 21st century.
The Conference is part of the UK Presidency’s focus on what needs to be done between 2005 and 2010 to deliver full employment and greater social cohesion. It aims to start the debate on practical steps that can be taken to break the dependency cycle experienced by those on inactive benefits.
Margaret Hodge added:
“Welfare is changing. Through new anti-discrimination laws, proactive jobs advice and more rehabilitation support we are extending the right to work to those traditionally left out. Already people are transforming their lives through innovative jobs help and health advice programmes like Pathways to Work.”
Key speakers at the Conference include EU Commissioner Vladimir Spidla, DWP Minister Lord Hunt and Christopher Prinz from the OECD. Experts from Sweden, Finland, Norway, Ireland, the Netherlands and the UK will also address the conference.
Notes for editors
- Margaret Hodge will address the conference at 3pm.
- Margaret Hodge will also attend Porth Jobcentre Plus from 11am to celebrate the 2nd anniversary of Pathways to Work. She will meet people helped by the pilot and staff. The Pathways project in Rhondda, Cynon Taf has already helped over 3000 people into work.
- Pathways to Work offers tailored support through specially trained Personal Advisers with access to jobs support, NHS rehabilitation programmes and a Return to Work credit for those earning less than £15,000 for the first year. It is running in seven pilot areas: Renfrewshire, Rhonnda, Derbyshire, Essex, Gateshead & S. Tyneside, East Lancashire, Somerset. Following funding of £220m from the Chancellor in the last Pre-Budget Report, four new Pathways started in October 2005 in the Tees Valley, Cumbria, Glasgow and West Lancashire. There will be more Pathways starting in April 2006 and October 2006.
- Deprived wards in areas like Cardiff and Merthyr Tydfil are benefiting from Want to Work – an innovative programme targeting economic inactivity at a local level. It is funded by the Department for Work and Pensions, the Welsh Assembly and the European Social Fund Objective 1 totalling £11m.
- The European Social Fund will contribute about £5 billion in the UK between 2000 and 2006 to support activities to reduce unemployment and improve people's skills. In 2004-05, ESF helped 825,000 people in England to improve their employability and skills, of whom about two thirds were in work or entered further training when they completed their ESF-funded provision. ESF is targeting people at a disadvantage in the labour market. In England, 23 per cent of participants have no prior qualification, 19 per cent re from black and ethnic minority groups and 19 per cent have disabilities.
- Around 92 million people in Europe of working age are classed as economically inactive.
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