A FLAGSHIP government jobs scheme has been branded a "miserable failure" after figures revealed less than four per cent of those taking part in Exeter had found long-term work.
Data published by the Department for Work and Pensions showed that of 1,120 people in the city who had started the Work Programme since its launch last year, only 40 had stayed in employment for six months or more. This represents just 3.6 per cent and falls far short of the Government target of 5.5 per cent. Ministers insist it was "early days" and the programme was succeeding in getting people off benefits and into work. But it will come as a blow to the Government which had hailed the scheme - aimed at getting then long-term unemployed back into work - as a "revolution in welfare".
Labour leader Ed Miliband said the Work Programme was turning out to be a "miserable failure". And performance was equally patchy in surrounding areas. Data for the 13 months from June 2011 to July 2012, showed in Mid Devon, just 10 people out of 540 found a job for six months or more (1.9 per cent of those on the programme), and in Teignbridge 20 out of 700 (2.8 per cent).
East Devon was on target with 5.5 per cent but this still only represented 30 out of 550 people. Nationally, figures showed only 3.5 per cent of those taking part - 31,000 out of nearly 900,000 - had found sustainable jobs. Under the scheme, approved providers including firms and charities try to find work for claimants on a payment-by-results basis.
In Devon and Cornwall, it is Prospect Services & Working Links. Organisations can earn between £3,700 and £13,700 per person, depending how hard it is to help an individual, with an initial payment of between £400 and £600.
Employment Minister Mark Hoban said the programme was showing "promising signs" against a tougher economic backdrop than was expected when the scheme was launched in June last year. Providers were having to find more than one job for some long-term unemployed, but the Minister said the performance of some firms varied. He revealed that notices had been sent to a number of organisations involved in the programme, telling them to come up with plans to improve their performance, but refused to name them.
Mr Hoban said the programme is succeeding in getting people off benefits and into work.
"It's still early days, but already thousands of lives are being transformed," he said. "One in four people have been in work, more than half of the early starters have been off benefit and performance is improving.
"Previous schemes paid out too much upfront regardless of success but, by only paying providers for delivering results, the Work Programme is actually offering the taxpayer real value for money.
"Clearly these figures only give a snapshot picture as we're one year in, and the Work Programme offers support to claimants for two years, but these results are encouraging and something providers can look to build on."
The Employment Related Services Association (ERSA), the trade body for the welfare to work industry, said criticism of the scheme was unfair, predicting that an increasing number of people will be helped into a sustained job.
Data published by the Department for Work and Pensions showed that of 1,120 people in the city who had started the Work Programme since its launch last year, only 40 had stayed in employment for six months or more. This represents just 3.6 per cent and falls far short of the Government target of 5.5 per cent. Ministers insist it was "early days" and the programme was succeeding in getting people off benefits and into work. But it will come as a blow to the Government which had hailed the scheme - aimed at getting then long-term unemployed back into work - as a "revolution in welfare".
Labour leader Ed Miliband said the Work Programme was turning out to be a "miserable failure". And performance was equally patchy in surrounding areas. Data for the 13 months from June 2011 to July 2012, showed in Mid Devon, just 10 people out of 540 found a job for six months or more (1.9 per cent of those on the programme), and in Teignbridge 20 out of 700 (2.8 per cent).
East Devon was on target with 5.5 per cent but this still only represented 30 out of 550 people. Nationally, figures showed only 3.5 per cent of those taking part - 31,000 out of nearly 900,000 - had found sustainable jobs. Under the scheme, approved providers including firms and charities try to find work for claimants on a payment-by-results basis.
In Devon and Cornwall, it is Prospect Services & Working Links. Organisations can earn between £3,700 and £13,700 per person, depending how hard it is to help an individual, with an initial payment of between £400 and £600.
Employment Minister Mark Hoban said the programme was showing "promising signs" against a tougher economic backdrop than was expected when the scheme was launched in June last year. Providers were having to find more than one job for some long-term unemployed, but the Minister said the performance of some firms varied. He revealed that notices had been sent to a number of organisations involved in the programme, telling them to come up with plans to improve their performance, but refused to name them.
Mr Hoban said the programme is succeeding in getting people off benefits and into work.
"It's still early days, but already thousands of lives are being transformed," he said. "One in four people have been in work, more than half of the early starters have been off benefit and performance is improving.
"Previous schemes paid out too much upfront regardless of success but, by only paying providers for delivering results, the Work Programme is actually offering the taxpayer real value for money.
"Clearly these figures only give a snapshot picture as we're one year in, and the Work Programme offers support to claimants for two years, but these results are encouraging and something providers can look to build on."
The Employment Related Services Association (ERSA), the trade body for the welfare to work industry, said criticism of the scheme was unfair, predicting that an increasing number of people will be helped into a sustained job.