Welfare reform programmes must receive full government support - Alexander

Commenting ahead of the Welfare Reform Bill published today, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Welfare Reform, Danny Alexander MP said:

"Employment is rightly seen as the best route out of poverty and it is important for the benefit of both individuals and the economy as a whole that we create a welfare system which adequately prepares people for the workplace.

"The Pilot scheme of Pathways to Work has already had a good deal of success in helping people on incapacity benefits back into employment, however if this Bill is to successfully extend initiatives such as this they must be adequately funded.

"The Government must address concerns that the £360 million so far set aside for the national rollout of Pathways to Work will be sufficient to provide a high quality service which will help not only new benefit claimants, but also the hundreds of thousands of people who have been trapped on incapacity benefits often for many years."