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Ask James Purnell
The Halifax Courier has obtained exclusive access to James Purnell, The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. This is your chance to put your questions to Mr. Purnell about his upcoming Green Paper aimed at getting people off benefits and back into work. Click here to read the Halifax Courier story.
Submission of questions to Mr.Purnell has now closed, but you can still vote for the questions you would like to see answered.
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James Purnell (Click to show)
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@ James Purnell
Instead of forcing people out to work, couldn't something be done to bring work into our homes - like with cottage industries?
Answered by James Purnell
Good question. I’m keen to see how businesses can provide more flexible working practises to help many more people off benefits and into work. What’s more interesting is how many companies are now taking... Show more »Good question. I’m keen to see how businesses can provide more flexible working practises to help many more people off benefits and into work. What’s more interesting is how many companies are now taking this onboard. Our advisers in Jobcentre Plus work hard to identify jobs which offer more flexible working patterns to those with childcare responsibilities or mobility issues. Also, for those disabled people who feel that what holds them back are problems with their workplace we are doubling our investment in the Access to Work programme which will transform thousands of work places, making them accessible to disabled workers. Show less »
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@ James Purnell
With food price inflation at 10% and energy prices rising by 30%, how can you budget to make sure benefits and pensions- which are supposed to pay for these essentials can keep up? And what about the ... Show more »With food price inflation at 10% and energy prices rising by 30%, how can you budget to make sure benefits and pensions- which are supposed to pay for these essentials can keep up? And what about the future, when these reources become even more scare Show less »
Answered by James Purnell
We have something called the annual benefit uprating, where every year we increase the level of benefits and pensions to ensure they keep in line with what’s happening in the wider economy. Over the last... Show more »We have something called the annual benefit uprating, where every year we increase the level of benefits and pensions to ensure they keep in line with what’s happening in the wider economy. Over the last decade we have had a strong and stable economy in this country and this has been reflected in record numbers of people in work and the numbers claiming unemployment cut in half. Now that we are feeling the global economic pressures, just as much in Halifax as it is elsewhere, we need to make sure we in government continue to do all we can to support people off benefits and into work, helping businesses create more jobs and ensuring people can still get on the housing ladder and stay in their homes. Show less »
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@ James Purnell
i would like to know why you have decided to target people with 11 plus year old children starting in november this year, they are the hardest group to find child care for as most childcare providers ... Show more »i would like to know why you have decided to target people with 11 plus year old children starting in november this year, they are the hardest group to find child care for as most childcare providers wont have them after there twelth birthday it would have made more sense to start with 8 plus
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Answered by James Purnell
No question that childcare is as big an issue with you in Halifax as it is elsewhere in the country. We as government have to make sure that the right childcare is in place to let parents find work. One... Show more »No question that childcare is as big an issue with you in Halifax as it is elsewhere in the country. We as government have to make sure that the right childcare is in place to let parents find work. One of the key things we do is work with employers to try and find flexible working for parents, especially lone parents, so that they can balance going out to work with their childcare responsibilities. When we decided to lower the age of the youngest child at which someone claiming benefits would have to go to work, we had to take into consideration the impact this would have. After consulting with a number of parents’ groups we decided that it would be too big a leap to go straight from 16 to 8 which is why we have put in an interim stage of 12. Show less »
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@ James Purnell
One of your proposals is that unemployed drug users will have to accept treatment for their drug habit before receiving any benefit. How will you know if somebody is a drug user or not?
Answered by James Purnell
Let's be clear, drugs ruin people’s lives and we should do all we can to get people who are hooked on drugs to kick their habit. Our plan is to make identification of problem drug use a part of the new... Show more »Let's be clear, drugs ruin people’s lives and we should do all we can to get people who are hooked on drugs to kick their habit. Our plan is to make identification of problem drug use a part of the new claim process for benefits. For those claiming the main unemployment benefit, JSA, we will strengthen guidance for advisers to help them to identify claimants who may be dependent on heroin or crack cocaine. Those identified will then be required to see a drug treatment provider. We also propose to share information between Jobcentre Plus and the police, probation services and prisons. Show less »
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@ James Purnell
Would the amount benefit claimants receive go up, if number of false claimants and people who don't really need it go down? Maybe that sounds niaive but which is the priority- to cut the overall budget... Show more »Would the amount benefit claimants receive go up, if number of false claimants and people who don't really need it go down? Maybe that sounds niaive but which is the priority- to cut the overall budget or to redistribute the same budget to those who need it most? Show less »
Answered by James Purnell
The priority is to ensure that everyone who can work has the opportunity to do so and that no one, no matter what their individual circumstances, is written off.
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@ James Purnell
I have been told that your party has no intention of indexing the state pensions of half the British pensioners who live abroad. Is this correct? The fund into which they paid is growing and there IS... Show more »I have been told that your party has no intention of indexing the state pensions of half the British pensioners who live abroad. Is this correct? The fund into which they paid is growing and there IS enough money to give parity to this small minority of British senior citizens, who retired abroad. Why are they not given parity with the other half of British pensioners who also live abroad and who do receive their indexing? Show less »
Answered by James Purnell
We do indeed increase the level of State Pension paid to UK citizens in the European Economic Area and Switzerland; or countries where we have reciprocal social security agreements which allow for increases... Show more »We do indeed increase the level of State Pension paid to UK citizens in the European Economic Area and Switzerland; or countries where we have reciprocal social security agreements which allow for increases to be paid there. Everywhere else the pension is frozen. The reason for this is simple. The costs of uprating everywhere would be £470m each and every year – a figure that would rise annually. The Government’s priority is to help the least well off pensioners living in this country and it will continue to help them so that the pensioners of Halifax are able to have a decent income in retirement. Show less »
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@ James Purnell
As a male lone parent, i find it very difficult obtaining child maintance from my ex partner who recieves incapacity benefit and is living with her partner who gets tax credits. She pays no more than ... Show more »As a male lone parent, i find it very difficult obtaining child maintance from my ex partner who recieves incapacity benefit and is living with her partner who gets tax credits. She pays no more than £5 a week and is currently a mother of my child and also a mother of 2 in her new relationship. She's a housewife. But has a duty to support her child financially. If she can, she will remain on benefits. How can the welfare state help my child in obtaining proper Child Maintenance?
Kind Regards
PS. Do you think that a person on benefits should have a time limit as to how long one should be on benefits????
Also should the ex's partner pay my childs maintenance as their money should be combined and treated as theirs.? Show less »
Answered by James Purnell
We want to see all parents taking responsibility for their kids, which is why we are establishing a new Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission which will provide parents that need support with a... Show more »We want to see all parents taking responsibility for their kids, which is why we are establishing a new Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission which will provide parents that need support with a more effective process for assessing, collecting and enforcing payments. The Commission will also have to raise awareness among parents and society, more generally, of the importance of parents taking responsibility for the maintenance of their children. Show less »
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@ James Purnell
i am writin to ask a question regarding the changes to lone parents having to work when children are 7yrs old,i do agree with this and im asking will their be more child care places available for are ... Show more »i am writin to ask a question regarding the changes to lone parents having to work when children are 7yrs old,i do agree with this and im asking will their be more child care places available for are children and jobs as im lookin now and not getting anywhere never mind in 5 years time.And will employers been more family friendly as children do get sick. Show less »
Answered by James Purnell
I’m pleased you agree with our proposals and hope we can help you find work and balance out your child care comittments. Offering good quality affordable childcare is the key to helping many lone parents... Show more »I’m pleased you agree with our proposals and hope we can help you find work and balance out your child care comittments. Offering good quality affordable childcare is the key to helping many lone parents back into work. We're increasing childcare across the country, for example through schools offering childcare before and after school. It's worth paying a visit to your local Jobcentre Plus (JCP) to see what childcare is available in your area. It's often more than people realise.
Your JCP adviser will also be able to give you advice on the training and skills programmes we offer which are all designed to give you the best chance of getting your foot in the door with local employers. When you get back to work we also offer the In Work Credit of £40 a week which is designed to help with the initial transition costs of moving off benefits and back into work.
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@ James Purnell
What has caused the rise in sickies-sick days? Is it another sign of a broken society- a signal we are unhappy, overworked and feel no loyalty to our leaders? What do you plan to do about the deeper c... Show more »What has caused the rise in sickies-sick days? Is it another sign of a broken society- a signal we are unhappy, overworked and feel no loyalty to our leaders? What do you plan to do about the deeper causes? Show less »
Answered by James Purnell
You’re right that we need to take action on getting people back into work when they have been off sick. The evidence shows us that work can have real benefits to a person’s health and that if you are ... Show more »You’re right that we need to take action on getting people back into work when they have been off sick. The evidence shows us that work can have real benefits to a person’s health and that if you are off sick your recuperation can speed up the earlier you come back to work. For that reason one of the proposals we’ve set out in our welfare reform programme is to concentrate more on using work to help people get back to health and fitness. In autumn of this year we will be consulting on replacing the sicknote with something which helps rather than hinders someone going back to work, with the aim of introducing the new form next year. Show less »
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@ James Purnell
I am 54 and have worked for the past 10 years with Parkinson's disease. I am deliberating whether to leave on early retirement on ill health frounds and may need to apply for ESA in order to have my NI... Show more »I am 54 and have worked for the past 10 years with Parkinson's disease. I am deliberating whether to leave on early retirement on ill health frounds and may need to apply for ESA in order to have my NI contributions paid for my state pension. If I persuade an independent doctor to allow me to leave on the top tier of ill-health pension (ie that I wil not be able to work again) will that be sufficient to be put into the support group? Or would it be a matter of going through the same kind of scrutiny - which seems to me to be a waste of time and money! What is needed is some kind of smartcard or electronic record which records milestones on a progressive disease which will trigger certain entitlements. There must surely be a smoother way to do some of this! Show less »
Answered by James Purnell
One of our aims is to try and simplify the benefits system to make it easier both for people to know what they are entitled to and then to access those benefits. We are working towards having a far more... Show more »One of our aims is to try and simplify the benefits system to make it easier both for people to know what they are entitled to and then to access those benefits. We are working towards having a far more personalised system which will fit around you rather than you having to fit round us. In the case of the support group for ESA customers it has been designed for those people who are too sick or ill to work both now and in the foreseeable future. Show less »
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@ James Purnell
why do people who do not contribute get more benefits than those who do
Answered by James Purnell
Our proposals are specifically designed to enshrine a something for something culture – where you have to put in if you want to get something out. Our plan to get rid of IB and IS means that while there... Show more »Our proposals are specifically designed to enshrine a something for something culture – where you have to put in if you want to get something out. Our plan to get rid of IB and IS means that while there will be greater support there will also be greater responsibility. People wont be able to simply sign on and collect benefits – there will be conditions they have to meet including attending training and skills programmes as well as job search for those on unemployment benefit. Show less »
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@ James Purnell
Should people who genuinely cannot work have to live their life on the poverty breadline or should benefits provide a decent living for them?
Answered by James Purnell
We're going to abolish Incapacity Benefit (IB) and replace it with a new benefit called the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). Those with the greatest need who genuinely cannot work will go on to... Show more »We're going to abolish Incapacity Benefit (IB) and replace it with a new benefit called the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). Those with the greatest need who genuinely cannot work will go on to ESA and get a higher level of benefit, to ensure they are supported properly. They will be able to volunteer, if they want, for our Pathways to Work programme, which helps people improve and manage their health condition, and look for work. Show less »
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@ James Purnell
Dear Mr Purnell
As you may already be aware if people have been signed off sick by their doctor, ie for 4 weeks, they are entitled to Incapacity Benefit, and they would go straight onto "Action 4 Employment",... Show more »Dear Mr Purnell
As you may already be aware if people have been signed off sick by their doctor, ie for 4 weeks, they are entitled to Incapacity Benefit, and they would go straight onto "Action 4 Employment", once the person in question has received their first payment from Incapacity Benefit.
However if someone has 4 weeks off, and that person cannot get on to "Action 4 Employment" until they have received their first payment this would mean they would only have a maximum of 2-3 working days, as it takes the jobcentre 2-3 weeks to setup payment, etc...
Shouldn't it therefore be better to let the person in question get access to this specialist support as soon as the paperwork has gone, as long as they can provide proof that they would be applcable for IC Benefit?
I hope you can reply.
Thanks
James Nightingale Show less »
Answered by James Purnell
What I want to see, and what our recently published proposals set out, is for everyone who is on incapacity benefit now, and those who go onto its successor, the Employment and Support Allowance in October,... Show more »What I want to see, and what our recently published proposals set out, is for everyone who is on incapacity benefit now, and those who go onto its successor, the Employment and Support Allowance in October, to have the chance to get the right level of support to help them overcome their health problems and get back into work. Where that means getting people onto the right programme – for example to Pathways to Work, which is now available across the country – I want to see that happen. In the past too many people got written off. I want to see everyone having the chance to make the most of their potential. Show less »
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@ James Purnell
Hello, I would like to ask, regarding the scrapping of the Income Support, etc.
Where are the jobs you are forcing people into? Where are people going to put thier children, especially as there are no... Show more »Hello, I would like to ask, regarding the scrapping of the Income Support, etc.
Where are the jobs you are forcing people into? Where are people going to put thier children, especially as there are no places for over 9s provided in the area I live?
The NDLP corse available is pathetic.I was on it and you sit there all day doing nothing, your not trained to do anything. The placements what I was told off other students were using people for free labourI have never had a penny off the CSA, ever, I have no idea what happened with that as I have heard nothing since filling the form out years ago. Employers want ppl who have experience, no gaps in thier history and not to have time off regarding family, they are not flexible.
Is the government going to invent jobs to put single parents in?
Are you going to get the absent parents to pay for thier children?
Are you going to provide childcare for all children?
When will the government consider the children involved in decisions like this first before forcing their families further into poverty?
My childrens busfare is 17. pound a week, and rising by the month at the rate first bus increases the fares, that takes any money I need to travel looking for work, or buying something to wear. I have no shoes or clothes to get a job in either.The work out if I worked off the assesment said I would be 13 pound a week better off working, that though did not add up as the advisor does not calculate for food clothing fuel bills and busfares. So basically I would have 13 pound a week to live on with two children to feed.I would like to see you try to do that.
Doing this is forcing people to leave under 13 year old children alone.This is illegal and you can be sent to prison for abandonment.A woman of 83 was attacked outside a police station in Sowerby Bridge last week, by a gang of 5 under 13 year olds.Thats how bad it is.And you expect me to leave my children alone in this hell hole? Show less »
Answered by James Purnell
We know that juggling work with bringing up children can be hard and we also know that for many people going back to work is a daunting prospect and not something that is taken lightly.
That's why ... Show more »We know that juggling work with bringing up children can be hard and we also know that for many people going back to work is a daunting prospect and not something that is taken lightly.
That's why we want to give parents some extra help to get into work once their youngest child reaches seven. We also want to offer more support and advice, so parents can build up their skills and confidence to prepare for and find a job.
This means once their children reach five, our advisers will offer lone parents a "skills health check", to identify where they may need specific training and education to ease their eventual path in work.
But it’s more than just this. Clearly we also need to change the culture around work in our country, in both private and public sectors. We can do quite a lot through legislation, but that can't solve the whole problem. It's also going to be down to companies and employees and what they can do.
So, probably the biggest thing we've done in this area is to introduce the right to request flexible working. There was a lot of scepticism about this at first. Some said employers would just say no - but it turned out that 90% of employers agree all the requests that are made.
This right only applied to younger children initially. But it's worked so well that we've extended it to people caring for relatives and we're now going to also include parents with children up to 16.
Ultimately, however we need to make sure people have jobs to go to, as you rightly point out. That’s why we’ve embarked on something called Local Employment Partnerships, where over 2,000 employers have agreed with us to look to give jobs to people from disadvantaged groups, and in return we offer help such as pre-employment training or work placements, so people can prove themselves and try out the job in question.
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