Rachel Reeves MP, Labour’s Shadow DWP Secretary, responding to the NAO report on the Government’s Work Programme, said:

“The National Audit Office’s report shows the Work Programme is not working. This damning report confirms the Government’s failure to meet its own targets, with only 27% of those aged 25 and over getting jobs lasting for more than 6 months, and performance for harder to help groups, including those with disabilities, falling even further behind.

"The failure of the Work Programme isn’t just letting down hundreds of thousands of jobseekers, but threatens to land taxpayers with a huge bill, with the NAO warning that £11 million has already been spent on payments in error, and a further £25 million is at risk. The Government should introduce Labour’s Compulsory Jobs Guarantee to get young people off benefits and into work.”

ENDS