Fewer than one in 25 have a found long-term job through Work Programme

date: 27 November 2012

embargo: For immediate release

The TUC today (Tuesday) said it 'beggars belief' for the government to try and hail its Work Programme as a success.

Closer analysis of today's end-of-year figures reveal that just one in 25 people had found a long-term job through the scheme, says the TUC.

Of the 241,450 attachments offered to young people, only 6,000 have led to sustained employment, with just 2.5 per cent of young people moving into a long-term job.

The figures are even worse for disabled people with just 2.3 per cent finding work after being referred onto the programme.

Commenting on the figures, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'It beggars belief that ministers are trying to spin these figures as good news. Fewer than one in 25 have found sustainable jobs through the Work Programme, with the figures for young people even worse.

'Just 2.5 per cent of young people moved into a long-term job and today's findings once again highlight the folly of cutting programmes like the Future Jobs Fund, which had a much better record of getting young people back into work and which was saving the taxpayer £7,000 a year.'

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Alex Rossiter T: 020 7467 1337 M: 07887 572130 E: arossiter@tuc.org.uk