Our response to the plan for jobs and employment support

The Salvation Army has expressed concerns that current employment support is not effective for the most vulnerable people who want a job and existing funding streams are not sufficiently focussed to help the rising number of people out of work. 

While the pandemic appears to be the cause of problems facing the UK labour market, it has merely exacerbated them. These challenges are nothing new - the most vulnerable have always faced significant, often multiple, barriers to employment with insufficient support, and others face everyday barriers such as childcare responsibilities or a lack of relevant skills. The one thing people in these broad categories have in common is that they want a job but cannot access one. 

Ineffectiveness of mainstream support programmes and issues around existing funding streams have put services at risk and leaves individuals drifting further from work. The Salvation Army is calling on Government and local leaders to ensure existing funding is targeted at those that need the most support, and on Government to create a holistic, integrated support system.   

Read about this and what other action we believe is needed in our full response below.