May warns only one in ten helped by Labour's welfare scheme

Theresa May warned Labour’s welfare reforms are “in disarray” after new statistics revealed only one in ten benefit claimants are finding work through their flagship scheme.

Over 132,000 people have started on ‘Pathways to Work’, a welfare-to-work programme for those claiming Incapacity Benefits – but only 11,210 (8%) have found work.

The statistics are even worse for mandatory referrals, with only three per cent of participants finding employment.

Theresa, the Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, said “Labour’s plans to get people off Incapacity Benefits and back into work are in disarray. During this recession, people are rightly worried about the huge numbers of people becoming unemployed but it is essential that we do not forget the people that have been abandoned to worklessness for the last ten years under Labour.”

She added, “Welfare Reform is essential if Britain is going to rebuild a strong economy. But yet again Labour are failing to get it right.”

‘Pathways to Work’ was rolled out across the country last year as a major part of Labour’s plans to get people off Incapacity Benefit and into work. It cost £129 million in 2008/09, rising to almost £200 million in 2009/10.