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Unemployed to be forced to turn up to jobcentres for 35 hours a week to stop them 'cheating the system' by secretly working
Iain Duncan Smith vows to cut benefits for those who fail to turn up Intense sessions will prepare unemployed people to find work Two pilots to be launched next year for more than 6,000 jobless
By Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor PUBLISHED: 10:12, 1 October 2013 | UPDATED: 14:19, 1 October 2013

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Crackdow n: Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Sm ith says the new system w ill stop people 'cheating the system '

Thousands of unemployed benefit claimants will be forced to turn up at job centres for 35 hours a week to prove they are looking for work. Iain Duncan Smith wants to make sure people claiming jobless benefits are not cheating the system; by secretly working cash-in-hand. The Work and Pensions Secretary warned that people who fail to turn up to special classrooms in job centres without good reason will lose their benefits. The latest crackdown comes after Chancellor George Osborne unveiled plans to force people claiming benefits to work for their welfare. Mr Duncan Smith used his speech at the Tory conference in Manchester to announce two trials forcing people on Jobseekers Allowance to spend the working day at jobcenres. They will have to attend a local centre for 35 hours a week for up to six months, where they will be given expert support and supervision to find work. Mr Duncan Smith said: We will do everything we can for those who have come through the Work Programme and still dont have a job. But for those who arent doing all they could, or who we think are cheating the system, it is time to make very clear that enough is enough. He announced two new pilots for full-time mandatory attendance centres. One will be targeted at the long-term unemployed at another focuses on people who have just started claiming benefits and could be helped by the intensive regime. Claimants will attend a local centre full-time for up to 6 months, with support and supervision to look for work and apply for jobs, Mr Duncan Smith will add. No attendance. No benefit. That is only fair.

Change: Mr Duncan Sm ith said he w anted to end the 'som ething for nothing culture'

Ministers expect the pilots to be running by the end of 2014 of next year, working with more than 6,000 people. They think the scheme could have significant impact on moving claimants into employment and reinforces the message that inactivity on benefits is not an option. Under the Work Programme, private sector organisations and charities have been tasked with helping the unemployed find a job. Mr Osborne announced the Help to Work scheme, which will force the unemployed to do community volunteering from next year if they want to claim their benefits. Those who break the rules of the Help to Work scheme, for example by failing to turn up for duty without

a good reason, could lose their benefit for four weeks. A second offence would see them lose it for three months.

New policy: Thousands of unem ployed people w ill be m ade to turn up to jobcentres 35 hours a w eek

Today at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, Mr Duncan Smith announced his further measure to get the long-term unemployed back to work. Speaking in the main hall, he said: 'I want to tell you about those who already showing early signs of not being able to commit to their obligations to work. 'Prior to the Work Programme, we are going to pilot a mandatory attendance centre where selected individuals will receive expert support and supervision while they search and apply for jobs - that is from 9am to 5pm, 35 hours a week for up to six months, simulating the working day. 'These pilots will be targeted at claimants who will benefit from the intensive support, one pilot before the Work Programme and one after the Work Programme. 'Alongside what we have already done with mandatory work programme and our tougher sanctions regime, this marks the end of the something for nothing culture.' FROM THE WEB
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Comments (444)
Share what you think Newest Oldest Best rated Worst rated View worst 10 Page 1 of 5 12345Next Report comment samiam, Pennsylvania, United States, 6 hours ago I strongly support this. Hopefully it will be a start of finding more meaningful work in their community taking care of litter, parks, working in our schools, working for a charity, helping pensioners, anything while they are looking for work. Until meaningful work can be found, let the people knit hats or scarves. Sitting at home should never be an option. And for the person who asked if he could bring his wheel chair,"use" of course. For "how will they find jobs" , the job center should have computers and 133 other hours in a week to find work. For the "full job centers', project one build more and larger job centers, lots of volunteers to help. "extra staff needed" there we go ready made job for someone looking for work.

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2 of 5 repliesSee all replies Report comment Teddy Edwards, Newcastle, 5 hours ago

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The problem is the government won't employ extra people to staff the bigger job centres as they are cutting the number of public sector workers hand over fist. 11 49

Click to rate Report comment timinessex, Witham, 3 hours ago @Teddy Edwards, they are cutting public sector because it is over-sized for the country we are. It has grown that way looking after both good people who need and together with far too many scroungers. It is being corrected, not shrunk. 22 13 Click to rate Report comment Jo, London, United Kingdom, 5 hours ago There are plenty of jobs out there, people are just too lazy to apply themselves.

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2 of 3 repliesSee all replies Report comment Atuin, Doncaster, 1 hour ago

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IIf you can find me a job get me an interview and get me the job then you sir/madam are a miracle worker. I have applied for loads of jobs but there are just not enough jobs for the amount of people who need them. 1 13 Click to rate Report comment martysommerville, cardiff, 5 minutes ago If there are 2 million unemployed why are there half a million jobs going spare? Don't they want them? I would be more impressed if the statistic was 1.5 million unemployed and no jobs!! 0 0 Click to rate Report comment Jo, London, United Kingdom, 5 hours ago Great idea. The long term unemployed need to realise that everyone in this life has to work for a living, including them.

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76 66 Report comment jumpsteady, bogata, Colombia, 2 hours ago

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Wow i'm impressed what an excellent comment. You have single handedly solved the mystery of life. To work for paper ?. Now i wonder if there is life on other planets out there do they do they same thing as us backwards species and work for paper. 5 11 Click to rate Report comment voiceoftruth, london, 4 hours ago This is a great idea - interesting to see how many claimants drop. They should also get them out to clean our streets and

buildings. Guess what... its called work! You can hunt for jobs when your not at the job centre. This is what everyone else does.

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69 50 Report comment flyingpig, Wrexham, United Kingdom, 3 hours ago

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If they are in a job. Thousands of civil servants, nurses and others have been made redundant ( through no fault of their own). Open your mind before you comment. Not everyone is a skiver. Plus most Jobcentres do not have the staff or facility. Probably Government will tender out to A4E etc. another massive cost 9 54 Click to rate Report comment Atuin, Doncaster, 1 hour ago I would love to not be on JSA If it was that easy I would be much better off. But it's not. 1 12 Click to rate Report comment delman666, london, United Kingdom, 6 hours ago good luck with that !! although i do understand not all unemployed are scroungers and are actually trying to work , the vast majority seem to be getting free stuff , plus a bit of cash , raising their income to over 40k per year without really trying , while hionest people work and survive on much less ...get those who have been lougning on the dole since they walked out of school and see how far that gets you ??? they wont turn up ..they will egt a free human rights lawyer and get a big pay out ON TOP of their dole when the enever ending appeals finally gets to a judge that sympathises with them

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62 48 Report comment shadowmatt, Manchester, United Kingdom, 5 hours ago

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You have been reading too much of the Daily Mail. Benefit fraud is only a couple of %. The rest are people suffering from lack of jobs, caused by numerous factors, like the recession. Also soldiers who were made unemployed, are they scroungers? 4 17 Click to rate Report comment madison, norwich, United Kingdom, 2 hours ago GOOD far too many shirkers in this country.

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2 of 4 repliesSee all replies Report comment jumpsteady, bogata, Colombia, 1 hour ago @ Ahisma yip and IDS, Camoron ect...

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0 6 Click to rate Report comment Sidney, Swansea, 24 minutes ago My dad worked for over 40 years until becoming redundant, and he had to claim. What gives YOU the right to call ANYONE a shirker? 3 2 Click to rate Report comment

SW66Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom, 6 hours ago The people in the House of Lords have worked and contributed to society, and they aren't young! Now they are using their brains to help keep the Goverment on the right course.

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Click to rate Report comment sammi, almeria, United Kingdom, 4 hours ago you have to go to work and sign on every day to get your wages, so what's different with the benefit claimants.

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Click to rate Report comment Richard, Chelmsford, 6 hours ago I wonder why people believe it is right to collect money for free from other taxpayers and then doing really nothing to earn it. And I wonder why a lot of people come up with ideas and excuses to continue to perpetuate the theft. It is, of course, about education and respect of your fellow citizens (or lack of...). There are too many benefits for too many people: the whole valid concept has lost is purpose and it is widely abused just because people can do it. Time to change attitude: time to become proud to earn because of a valid contribution to society.

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56 49 Report comment shadowmatt, Manchester, United Kingdom, 5 hours ago

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Because they pay tax as well. I bet you get as much back from your taxes as possible. If you are ever unemployed would that make you a scrounger? 13 26 Click to rate Report comment Dave, Plymouth, United Kingdom, 5 hours ago Great news

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karezza, Belfast, United Kingdom, 2 hours ago This will flush out the thousands who are working and claiming benefits.

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2 of 3 repliesSee all replies Report comment Ellie, Glasgow, 2 hours ago Even the governments own figures say in not even that amount. 2 17

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Click to rate Report comment jumpsteady, bogata, Colombia, 1 hour ago and you know this how? 5 4 Click to rate Report comment debbie, norfolk, 5 hours ago It's about time too this country is known as the soft touch land of plenty this is why one and all are coming in every day of the week looking to find a free home and benefits for doing nothing unless Cameron and Co show they have b***s they will not get into power in 2015 and god forbid we could have the likes of Red Ed in charge they let this country down big time for 11 years and left the coalition to clear up the mess and what a mess.

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45 46 Report comment jpg sussex, Brighton, 5 hours ago

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Debbie, there are genuine people who can't find work. Show a bit of compassion. You sound a bit vindictive and nasty just like the party you more than likely support. 5 21 Click to rate Report comment Jo, London, United Kingdom, 3 hours ago Its about time people had to work for their benefits. We have to stop this something for nothing culture. Everyone else has to work for a living, why should they be any different.

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2 of 3 repliesSee all replies Report comment Eric, Treetops, United Kingdom, 3 hours ago

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Despite what you read from this lot, the majority of job seekers are seeking jobs. It's about time IDS got a brain transplant so that he can differentiate job seekers from the 'never worked, don't intend to work' group, if they had an ounce of guts they would stand up and make it clear the type of person that should be targeted (that is the type that would fit in well on the Jeremy Kyle show). Degrading decent honest adults by keeping them holed up in a classroom for a week is disgusting - especially coming from a bunch of lazy, overpaid, dishonest MPs who are on a perpetual holiday. 5 26 Click to rate Report comment Sidney, Swansea, 22 minutes ago Well here's hoping you become unemployed. 0 1 Click to rate Report comment

Southern Accents, Down South, United States Minor Outlying Islands, 2 hours ago Oh dear, does this mean they won't be able to sit at home watching Jeremy Kyle on their 55" plasma screen TVs and drink strong alcohol? Tough.

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2 of 5 repliesSee all replies Report comment jumpsteady, bogata, Colombia, 1 hour ago

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@ Ben who are you referring to ? Do u mean MP's second homes, expenses,4 holidays a year. If not and you are referring that benefits claimants get all the above you are another poor misguided fool who has fallen victim to Tory propaganda. And some advice, learn the difference between Their, They're and There it's really not that hard 0 7 Click to rate Report comment Eddy, Brigg, United Kingdom, 36 minutes ago Some people will believe anything. 0 1 Click to rate Report comment

Ajay, Utd Soviet State of Europe, United Kingdom, 7 hours ago Great scheme, but like all that might just work, it will never see the light of day, the great unwashed will see to that, just like they killed the very sensible community charge where everyone paid their share.

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Click to rate Report comment nikko, Sandanski, 2 hours ago Some people are beginning to sweat already, judging by the comments on here.

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38 35 Report comment Ava Gardner, London, United Kingdom, 2 hours ago

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Well I am not sweating. I am getting sick and tired though of this constant bashing the unemployed en-masse. Not all of us (and I worked for 43 years before losing my job through the downturn in property) are scroungers, lazy, not trying hard enough etc etc. I consider my own person situation quite genuine. There are too many people after too few jobs. One I did hear back from quoted over 300 applicants for the one position. Get it Nikko ??!!! 1 43 Click to rate Report comment Eric, Treetops, United Kingdom, 1 hour ago I doubt they get it. Quite a few, including IDS and Cameron just don't have the intelligence to differentiate between the genuine and 'the never worked, no intention to work' lot. 0 5 Click to rate Report comment Me Here 1, Hampshire UK, 6 hours ago GOOD why should I get out of bed at 04.30 every morning to work 12 hours 6 days a week for them to lay in bed all day on my tax's! I am all for helping people but they ALSO have to help themselves not sit on their backsides and feel it is their RIGHT to do so!

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35 35 Report comment anon e-mouse again, One Horse Town, United Kingdom, 5 hours ago

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You'll be the first to whinge about benefits if you loose your job then, or get sick like dying of cancer. Did you not see Panorama about three weeks ago. The Tories are promoting the UK as a tax haven with tax avoidance schemes. At the same time DC says the Tories are here to get tough on tax avoidance. If corporations and companies paid their fair share, your tax bill would halve. There would be more money and resources to catch benefit cheats. Those genuiinely in need of benefits would be OK. If you dispise the genuiinely needy, then you know where you can stuff your gripe. I bet you use the NHS.

2 7 Click to rate Report comment jpg sussex, Brighton, 4 hours ago Don't do it then,you fool. 4 7 Click to rate Report comment Jo, London, United Kingdom, 3 hours ago This Country cannot afford to pay people to sit around doing nothing all day, nor can it pay people benefits if those people are already working elsewhere, so this is a good idea all round.

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29 22 Report comment Tepepa, Cleveland, 2 hours ago Jo From London, what job do you do ?, as you spend most of the day posting on here.. 2 5

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Click to rate Report comment pastit, Scotland, United Kingdom, 4 hours ago Too many wingers here. Wait till we are fully integrated into Europe, with Brussels making all the calls. Do you think they will increase everyone's dole money to the nation that pays the most? Not likely. See how you like it when it gets dropped to the lowest JSA in Europe, with no disability allowance, and only paid for a max of 6 weeks. You will wish you took some of the jobs on offer today instead of moaning all the time. Won't happen? Well that's what is happening in Greece and Portugal and Spain and......so my advice is get out of bed and get a job while you still can.

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Click to rate Report comment Happygran, Northampton, 6 hours ago Enter your comment

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Click to rate Report comment Liz M, London, United Kingdom, 1 hour ago What a great idea. Making the unemployed work for their benefits doing charity work etc. It might make the lazy scroungers actually start to look for real jobs.

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Paula 1001, Liverpool, United Kingdom, 1 hour ago What real jobs are these then?There are 800000 vacancies and around 2million unemployed people in this country. 0 5 Click to rate Report comment Lucia, Norfolk, 5 hours ago This wont work, although im pleased IDS is trying to do something about it. I am sure tey ran a scheme very similar to this a few years agi, when i worked as an employment advisor for the YMCA. The people who did turn up did very little in trying to get a job and the majority of them didnt turn up at all and we spent most of our working day chasing them to enquire where they were and why they werent where they shoudl be, after 1001 excuses we still couldnt do anything about it. We had paperwork to fill in but they never had any benefits off them as it gets so far in the system and then get rejected as apparently it affects their human rights and they cant live without being given something....pointles exercise. Stop their benefits immediatly!!! they'll soon catch on.

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24 17 Report comment judy25, sheffield, 4 hours ago

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I think you will find that sanctions are now applied straight away it is a month to start off with and you then have to state your case, of course if you do have a fiddle job then it wont matter but god help you if jsa is your only source of income and you have no saving's to fall back on. 0 14 Click to rate Report comment Jo, London, United Kingdom, 1 hour ago People should have to work to earn their benefits. Everyone else has to do some work in order to be paid, why should benefit claimants be any different.

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22 21 Report comment Nermal the guru, London, United Kingdom, 1 hour ago Well make it a proper job then with a decent wage and employment rights. 4 13

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Click to rate Report comment plato, Brighton, 1 hour ago You would have loved Germany in the 1930s 4 12 Click to rate Report comment Teresa, Cape Town, 2 hours ago I appreciate the philosophy behind it, but if people are spending 35 hours a week sitting in room, when will they go for

interviews, attend training courses, scout opportunities in other cities, etc? It can't be that hard to work out who's skiving off, surely? Stop welfare payments, cold turkey. There is NOTHING that motivates as well as having no money to pay the bills, no money to pay the rent, and no job. It's the FEAR that gets lazy people off their backsides and making a real effort to find work. Your government is trying to get people back into work while at the same time bending over backwards to make sure everything remains "easy" and "safe". It's a contradiction. Lazy people, and people who have become accustomed to not working, will ONLY respond when there's a real and genuine threat to their physical comfort and wellbeing - when they are literally faced with a choice between being homeless and getting out and finding a job.

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Click to rate Report comment holy tree, warwick, United Kingdom, 3 hours ago It is very easy to criticise IDS, but we have a real problem with the increasing number of people who live off benefits in this country. The benefits system was created to help those in the short term who found themselves out of work, it was not created to be a life style choice. Those who did not work were often very ashamed that they had to take benefits, but this is not the case today. People now view it as a right and this needs to change as the situation is only going to get worse. I was brought up with a good work ethic and I hope to pass this onto my children too. I would (and have done) a range of jobs (many of which I was over qualified for) over the years to make ends meat rather than collect benefits, so excuses don't wash!

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19 16 Report comment hampshireresident, Portsmouth, United Kingdom, 1 hour ago A sensible comment at last! 0 1

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Click to rate Report comment libertas, London, United Kingdom, 1 hour ago Two pilots to be launched next year for more than 6,000 jobless ---------------- A mere drop in the ocean with millions unemployed. However, the idea is good BUT HOW are you going to supervise these individuals?

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Click to rate Report comment fazer, belfast, United Kingdom, 2 hours ago weatherspoons going to lose some money if that happens

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Click to rate Report comment Bazzer69, Walton on Sea, United Kingdom, 2 hours ago Nice one.

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15 5 Click to rate Report comment olly2, hereford, United Kingdom, 3 hours ago So they turn for their money during the week, then moonlight over the weekend?

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Click to rate Report comment Druid, Sheffield, United Kingdom, 48 minutes ago Years late, but good, IF it ever happens, which I doubt.

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Click to rate Report comment Trickytree, Nottingham, 26 minutes ago First they keeping mentioning " Forcing " , nobody can force you to do anything, Second, get a night job that pays cash in hand, turn up at job centre in the morning with newspaper , ipod, get 40 winks happy days..

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11 11 Report comment sensiblegirl, london, United Kingdom, 7 minutes ago

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Do you know any other ways of stealing from people? Just asking. That's what taking from hard working taxpayers is if you're not entitled to the money. Theft. 0 0 Click to rate Report comment PhilJ, Cardiff, 1 hour ago Oh for god's sake why don't you just abolish dole altogether if everyone is working for cash in hand and/or clearly too lazy to look for the jobs you think are there? If you abolish the dole then we want to see a significant reduction in our taxes. That will make us workers better off and better able to give handouts to the people that will inevitably come begging from door to door.

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Click to rate Report comment JoeSmith3425, Hamilton, 29 minutes ago Excellent, working 35 hours per week, now classed as working, so I can now claim WORKING TAX CREDITS, yipppeee!!! Try and stop me IDS I will go to the ECHR European Court of Human Rights that your also trying to pull out of!

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6 Report comment sensiblegirl, london, United Kingdom, moments ago

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Getting Working Tax Credits is the easiest con in the book. Go to the benefits people. Say you are self employed. Make up something. They won't check. Say you earn about 3,000 a year. You'll need some proof of this. Then they'll subsidise you for the rest of your days. Never check if you are actually self employed or anything It's a breeze. But you'll need ot ensure that when you turn up there you turn on the tears. That tends to work very well... ehen sbf 0 0 Click to rate Report comment anna, london, moments ago You're clearly a waste of time and space. Grow up twit 0 0 Click to rate Report comment Its Labours Fault, London, United Kingdom, 1 hour ago Good idea I reckon 30% will be too lazy to attend and it will be the 70% who want the help to get a job and work who we can help.

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Click to rate Report comment adam.halls, uk, United Kingdom, 26 minutes ago IT IS NOT SOMETHING FOR NOTHING! and when they say blinds shut what if you work night shifts? I don't have any kids a am a carer for my partner who is ill. how small minded you English people are. cant wait until the scots have a vote. who will you vote? cons it says it in the word cons of common people pity on you. I worked for 20 years and had to give up work for my partner who is now ill. what will you do when and it is a when you get ill. shame on you. if you have worked and paid you ni why cant you look after a loved one who falls ill. its in the name you we all have it its called national insurance. you have free nhs is that something for nothing? no! we all pay national insurance. help the people who have worked and do this 35 hrs for the neds.

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Click to rate Report comment adam.halls, uk, United Kingdom, 26 minutes ago IT IS NOT SOMETHING FOR NOTHING! and when they say blinds shut what if you work night shifts? I don't have any kids a am a carer for my partner who is ill. how small minded you English people are. cant wait until the scots have a vote. who will you vote? cons it says it in the word cons of common people pity on you. I worked for 20 years and had to give up work for my partner who is now ill. what will you do when and it is a when you get ill. shame on you. if you have worked and paid you ni why cant you look after a loved one who falls ill. its in the name you we all have it its called national insurance. you have free nhs is that something for nothing? no! we all pay national insurance. help the people who have worked and do this 35 hrs for the neds.

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sensiblegirl, london, United Kingdom, 6 minutes ago Unfortunately, Adam, there are many people on benefits who've never contributed a penny via tax or NI to the nation. They are net takers out of the system. I know someone like that. She's never contributed anything to the State. That's the sort of person people are going on about. Not decent people who fall on hard times and need some help. 0 0 Click to rate Report comment exPat, Almeria, Spain, 3 hours ago This will reduce those claiming benefits, whilst working on the Black economy. The people are sick of been taken for mugs by these people. April 2015 should see the Cap on Benefits reduced again to 20,000 per household. This give them19 months notice to sort themselves out. Child Allowance reduced to 1st two children only. No housing Benefits for those under 21. The Revolution of the WORKERS has arrived.

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Click to rate Report comment James, Norfolk, 6 hours ago About time too, they should have to sign on daily at 0800, 1000, 1200, 1400 1600 to ensure they are not working on the side. Also, take their passports away if they are unemployed - they should not be able to afford foreign holidays on benefits!!!!

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Click to rate Report comment harry, Fife, United Kingdom, 38 minutes ago 'for example by failing to turn up for duty' ...................Sounds like the military. When the millions treated like this realise they're an army, disgruntled, angry but powerless, there will be big trouble brewing.

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5 8 Report comment kevin, newcastle, United Kingdom, moments ago you are right get all the downtrodden in one place talking to each other their will be hell to pay 0 0

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Click to rate Report comment Jellybean, NORTHAMPTON, United Kingdom, 6 hours ago Good idea, how many people do we all know who are cheating the system.

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Click to rate Report comment dave, falmouth, 6 hours ago

This sounds very reasonable. Benefits are not a gift and should come with conditions in order to protect the donors (taxpayers) from fraud. Of course if the claimants are so dead against this, they can always refuse the benefits on principle.

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Dave Ninetynine, Darlington - UK, 26 minutes ago And just where exactly in the job centres are they going to fit the several million unemployed that the Tories have created? All the job centres I've been in don't have enough room to swing a cat, let alone put up the thousands of unemployed people that each job centre services for the whole week.... They'd have to hire hundreds of conference centres and thousands of extra staff to supervise them... No doubt provided by the Tories favourites, Atos and Group 4

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Click to rate Report comment What Do I Know?, Planet Zog, 4 hours ago I would not object one bit to my hard earned tax money being paid in dole to people if they were actively doing community work. For example, mowing grass verges, clearing litter, removing graffiti, cleaning spit, dog poo and chewing gum from pavements, etc. It works in other countries. See how beautifully the cities are kept in California, for example. You see them working on almost every street, every day. Perhaps they could go around after our dustmen and return our bins to where we left them. What I am not prepared to do is pay people to sit around betting shops all day or watch them sign in and go straight back to illicit undeclared work.

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Click to rate Report comment Paul99, Chesterfield, United Kingdom, 7 hours ago If the Tories had run this policy at the last election, together with the ones on immigration and the human rights act they would not have had to even talk to the Liberal party..

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Click to rate Report comment garydoug, preston, United Kingdom, 5 hours ago I love all these benefits clampdowns, the Labour party have made a generation of these people with their generous handouts and cash and houses for babies schemes its these people and their unloved mealticket offspring that are causing most of the ASB too

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Report comment Violet, London, 6 hours ago UK is 25 years behind Israel, we have all this rules for ages. Another good one - if you have a car you will not get benefits, but if you work and lost your job then you get 80% of you salary for a few months just to help you to find another job. Not like in UK, you get same amount as those who never worked in there life.

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Click to rate Report comment grumpy old git, London, 5 hours ago The benefit cheats won't like that.

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Click to rate Report comment Fatbaldi, Market Harborough, 3 hours ago Not before time. Should have done this right from the start. If it were me i would bring back conscription and then we would all know that these were all contributing and not just taking from the ones that do work. Cut back on all immigration! Do not let every man and his family into the country to work until we have sufficient work for them all; And for the savers of this country increase the interest paid on savings and encourage people to save instead of living in debt. Loads more could be done with the correct attitude to life.

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Click to rate Report comment kazar mesira, khazaria, United Kingdom, 30 minutes ago DM readers are only right-wing as long as their tax credits, council-houses, housing benefits and low-income benefits are not threatened.

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Click to rate Report comment Old maid, Plymouth, United Kingdom, 30 minutes ago that will be JobClub then? shades of the Full Monty!!

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Click to rate Report comment Scott, Durham, 7 hours ago Incredibly stupid idea because most dole fiddlers will do cash in hand jobs like Pizza shop etc which all work while the job center is shut, well done IDS for being a buffoon yet again.

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Click to rate Report comment Superdrummer, Leeds., 30 minutes ago They will have to be kept there though, otherwise they will just go on either skiving or working. I know a guy who claims benefit, whilst he works for cash in hand. When it is his signing on day, he gets a taxi to the job centre, signs and then gets back in it and goes off to work again. Unless the threat of losing benefits sine die is brought in, for ANY abuse of the system, the people will continue to do that......but this is a step in the right direction.

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3 7 Report comment Trickytree, Nottingham, 22 minutes ago Why have you not reported this guy then, you obviously feel strongly about it enough to tell us all.......... 2 6

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Click to rate Report comment Michael, Alicante, 6 hours ago Many people on benefit are cheating the system by painting & decorating, gardening, and worse still, watching Jeremy Kyle when they should be looking for a job. Handouts in Spain are low and with a 2 year time limit. Result is a large proportion of immigrants have had to go back to their own countries, and young families move in with their parents. No one has starved to death.

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Click to rate Report comment John, Wiltshire, United Kingdom, 3 hours ago Great idea! Amongst those unemployed are many teachers and skilled people, who would love to get back to work. Give them a bit extra to teach others who are unemployed various skills, as applicable. But above all we must stop the stealing of tax payers money by benefit cheats.

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Click to rate Report comment Phelim 1, Orpington, United Kingdom, 6 hours ago Never liked or agreed with this hatchet man, however I do sure with this policy, I know so many people who draw the dole and work, they laughed at me for working and paying tax. But now we should only pay out dole to those who sign on. It's stupid to pay money into bank accounts while these people are not even in the UK.

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Mark, Londonstan, 31 minutes ago During the height of the boom years in 2007, there were still over a million people unemployed. Some people will not work or are unemployable.

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Click to rate Report comment Everythingisfalse, London, 4 hours ago I can't stand people who cheat the system or don't turn up for work, those politicians really do annoy me! I'm not sure where the jobs are going to come from for all those unemployed. I'd look at removing all child benefit. Benefits should only be for the poor and unemployed.

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Click to rate Report comment Roy, London, 9 minutes ago What do we pay NI for? not a decent pension and clearly our servants in power want to are things as difficult as possible for the money we are entitled to if we lose our jobs.

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Shortlegs, Somewhere Else......, United Kingdom, 11 minutes ago If you live in a rural area where the JobCentre is (say) an hours bus ride away and the cost for that journey is 3.70 then being forced to attend daily will make a pretty big dent in the JobSeekers allowance. Yet again, an ill thought out plan from this government with their workhouse mentality.

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Click to rate Report comment Oldncynical, Newport, United Kingdom, 12 minutes ago Just another vote catcher from an intellectually bankrupt political party. Do they read the DM comments pages to get ideas?

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Click to rate Report comment Commander Keen, Disney, United Kingdom, 3 hours ago might as well just put all people who claim benefits into prison. Seems to be the direction IDS' plans are going... seems

like best way to cheat the benefits system is to become a politician. You get to live off Tax payers money, get to do no work & don't pay any taxes & at the same time you can kid yourself that you actually help society instead of ruining it.

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Sen Sword, comments rarely get allowed, United Kingdom, 5 hours ago jobcentres are useless for finding work, forcing people to go to them is hampering the chances. I have always found employment by turning up at places and asking if there is work, yes its not always successful but, ive done well from that tactic. the jobcentre once ( about 20 years ago ) sent me for a job as forklift driver, i told them that i didnt have a forklift licence and they said if i did not go they would stop my money. I went and the interviewer asked why did i come for a job that i wasnt qualified to do. so his and my time were wasted for no reason i can think of. i got a job within a fortnight by visiting a factory everyday asking for a job. it was a job linked to my hobby so i pestered them till they either gave me a job or an injunction. get rid of the jobcentres and create training centres instead, at least people will gain skills.

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Click to rate Report comment lakesider, Essex, United Kingdom, 6 hours ago And all these claimants will behave themselves and knuckle down for 7 hours a day will they? Civil servants can't even manage themselves so I do not believe they will find the jobs these people don't even want.

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Click to rate Report comment pajs11, Leeds, United Kingdom, 16 minutes ago The banking collapse, the wars in Iraq & Afghanistan every evil that has ever befell the world, the blame can surely be placed exactly where it belongs. The unemployed !!!!

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Rated Report comment Rightman, Nottingham, 2 hours ago Ian old chap I don`t think you have thought this through.. have you, hundreds and hundreds turning up with a just a handful of staff to clock in and out all the believed benefit cheats. You are not credible....truly a `plonker`..........

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Click to rate Report comment darrin666, Newbury, United Kingdom, 19 minutes ago

Need to build bigger job centres in that case.

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Click to rate Report comment sick of it, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, 4 hours ago In the 80s I once knew a bloke who when asked when signing on was he lookinfg for work replied I,m working but I can,t get out done for comong in here.

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Click to rate Report comment emma, bristol, 7 minutes ago Years ago I worked as a Jobclub Leader in a Jobcentre - they worked but of course they were voluntary. Not sure why people here are talking of "millions in the Jobcentres" as most will have a few dozen most in this category and if more I guess your precious private sector will step in DM? Jobcentre staff are by far the best to cope with this as our local Work Programme provider has just let a claimant go two years with no contact........he was laughing - Jobcentre staff are furious as they are told not to interfere when claimants are on WP.

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Click to rate Report comment Kat, Cte-Nord, Canada, 10 minutes ago I have a full-time professional job in a science industry (so I'm not a benefit bum before that gets suggested) but I think this is a ridiculous idea. The job centre never seems to match people to their abilities. I know of colleagues who were made redundant and were told to apply for jobs in McDonalds and supermarkets. Is that really the best use of their engineering or geological skills? I'm sure this will provide some sort of incentive to benefits bums to actually go and do something but what about the genuine job seekers who are looking for work and are now stuck wasting their time in what are effectively employment classes? It should be that you get x amount of time to job hunt for a job in your chosen field and then after that time has passed, it changes to any job you can get. That's how they do it in many countries.

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Click to rate Report comment hypo666, essex, 7 minutes ago If I was unemployed and this was going to be done to me, I think I would turn to crime,as certain things would be much more profitable than 70 pounds a week JSA, as the concequences would be similar if caught to this, in fact in some ways prison would be the better option, as meals would be provided. This lot ought to be careful, as you can only keep kicking people for so long, and will the police/the army really defend the government considering what is being done to them as well? I have my doubts. The UN may well turn up again ,and it won't be so silly lefty next time,but people in blue helmets.

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Bradpitt477, Sheffield, United Kingdom, 10 minutes ago What people don't realise is there is 2.4m people out of work claiming JSA even more but not claiming benefits and there is about 300k jobs so no matter what there is going to be people that's not going to get a job the numbers don't add up if everybody got a job that's available right now there will be still 2.1m people in a bad place with no money no life no job. And sadly its going to get worse technology in the near future will take up many jobs.

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Click to rate Report comment David_from_San_Diego, San_Diego_California_USA, United States, moments ago Brilliant! They should have started this forty years ago.

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Click to rate Report comment lanz resident, carmen, Spain, 5 minutes ago Decades overdue

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Click to rate Report comment Jude, Westcliff on Sea, United Kingdom, 4 hours ago The main problem is that a LOT of claimants would never be employed by anyone. I worked in a re-training college and at least half who attended were unfit for work either through drugs, drink, habits, attitudes, smelliness or violent personalities. I think we would be better off if these people were put into civil schemes 3 days a week, weeding roadsides, cleaning streets, tidying parks, litter picking etc. .

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Click to rate Report comment The Organ Grinder, Wolverhampton, moments ago Being quiet enterprising I am considering setting up a Job Centre Advisor training course. It will consist of a 3 hour crash course (in order of importance): 1) Being rude, repugnant and obtuse 2) How the mind of a pleb works 3) Stress management 4) (limited) Basic benefits regulations 5) (very) Basic employment law I shall charge the government a basic fee of 2748.00 per student that passes the course and set the course pass rate at 9%, with a bonus of 1376.00 per job vacancy filled. There, another income string to my profitability bow!

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Click to rate Report comment Kezza85, Uk, United Kingdom, moments ago So what happens if someone needs to travel everyday, surely this will cost them money they won't get back as they are not earning a 'wage'. I personally think this will put a lot of people into a deep depression, you can't spend 35 hours a

week looking through jobs, you can only learn how to type a cv and covering letter once, I think you'll just end up with a classroom full of utterly depressed people who feel useless.

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Click to rate Report comment Miranda, London, 4 hours ago This won't apply to everyone claiming JSA. A report in a sensible newspaper yesterday reckoned it would affect about 200,000 people. But there will be problems such as people having to pay for a bus or petrol to get to their nearest job centre every day as not everyone is within walking distance. If those costs are covered by the government that means they're paying out more to people above their JSA. Mothers with children will need a creche or childcare costs covered. It's not a bad idea to try to capture those who are cheating but it's full of pitfalls.

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Click to rate Report comment seedubya, Rotherham, United Kingdom, moments ago In this country, it is supposed to be the ACCUSER who has to prove guilt. The unemployed are the inventory which enables a cushy number for all the "providers" of these mandatory schemes for the unemployed and also for the Jobcentre staff.

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Click to rate Report comment AmandasRiot, Stoke, United Kingdom, 5 hours ago I've got better things to do than sit in a dirty job centre for 35 hours a week thanks. Not only that but are you prepared to pay my 5 bus there and back every day? What's that leave? 25 a week to live on? Jog on...

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Click to rate Report comment Kit, Britain, United Kingdom, 4 hours ago A well thought out plan from IDS as usual. How are they going to fit them all in? Jobs centres work with time slots so if all the unemployed have to attend every day 9-5 they will need to build new job centres to put them in. Maybe that is his plan. The Tories can use the unemployed to build new job centres so that they can then visit them Monday to Friday to prove they are still unemployed! Yet another brain dead idea intended to play up to the Tory voters ideas about the unemployed being cheats and scum!

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Click to rate Report comment BRITISH AND PROUD, Leeds, United Kingdom, 2 hours ago More jobs for the civil services in controlling all these people not to mention the building works required to house them and staff to feed them. Problem solved then?

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Click to rate Report comment vonnie208, bradford, 4 hours ago And are the government going to pay these people their bus fares and lunches to attend?This will certainly take a large chunk of their 71 a week.Less of course if they pay bedroom tax.

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Click to rate Report comment ramblin rose, fertiliser, 3 hours ago This should be appreciated by one and all, as their heating bills will reduce as a result. Unless they already spend parts of their days using the heated stores in their area. The best thing that will happen here though will be ll the immigrants who have registered and gone home, their loot going into their bank accounts, will either have to come back to live, or giv it up. So with those making multiple claims are going to have a very hard time being 6 or 7 different people, so well weed them out too.etc.

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Click to rate Report comment johnc0511, maidenhead, United Kingdom, 4 hours ago Back to school, report to detention and write 1,000 times " I will find a job" Is this really the best the government can come up with. If they are serious about helping people back to work they should take some positive action such as taking back control of our borders and stop flooding the job markets with cheap foreign labour. They talk tough but do nothing worthwhile. 2.5 million unemployed and a constant flow of foreign workers all after 0.5 million jobs, that is less than0.2 of a job each.

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Click to rate Report comment john mitch, Belfast, 4 hours ago How about closing some tax avoidance loopholes and chasing up tax evaders too, there is ~~Billions more pounds to be saved there.......Then we can really be in it together

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Click to rate Report comment Logik, Worcester, 4 hours ago And the purpose for those who have paid National Insurance all these years and have now fallen on hard times was what exactly ? IDS belongs in the Victorian era, he would have enjoyed picking on those unfortunates and putting them in the workhouses. Come to think of it, he enjoys what he is doing now which has striking similarities. He's nothing more than a bully, which is made even more shameful when he knows full well there are not enough jobs because we are swamped by immigrants.

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Click to rate Report comment a5000, worcester, 9 minutes ago SO IDS, where are these EXPERTS providing the advice coming from? The present people at centres are worse than useless

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Click to rate Report comment mecmac, dunedin, 3 hours ago And are the experts supervising this bright idea going to be employed by the firm owned and run by Dave's ethically questionable and morally doubtful friend who was his "back to Work Tsar" before ? Or is there another politician with interests in a company to exploit the poor this time round?

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Click to rate Report comment sensiblegirl, london, United Kingdom, 4 hours ago What about the so-called "self-employed" who apparently earn so little every year that the qualify for Working Tax Credit but are secretly not working more than a few weeks a year, although telling he tax people they do a 30 hour week. Noone checks. Noone reviews the payments.

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Click to rate Report comment shadowmatt, Manchester, United Kingdom, 5 hours ago This government has made thousands of soldiers unemployed and many are struggling to find jobs. They are now the scroungers you people talk about, you have no shame and little intelligence. You cheer as they are treated like scum. A lot of long term unemployed are also seriously disabled, like blind, and will never get jobs.

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Click to rate Report comment shadowmatt, Manchester, United Kingdom, 5 hours ago Remember everyone who thinks this is a good idea. They mean you too. You pay taxes and should expect help if you lose your job, its why you pay taxes. They will instead treat you like a criminal if you are made unemployed. It can happen to anyone, IDS was a dole jockey for a while.

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Report comment Monica, Hull, 14 minutes ago Is IDS planning to engage the services of Dr Who, Merlin or Harry Potter to make room for all these classrooms? It seems we've already reached the season of hopeless pre-election promises they rely on us to forget about if they're elected. I've noticed that the less chance the parties think they have of being elected, the more unworkable their promises are.

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Click to rate Report comment Sally Summers, Surfers, Australia, 5 hours ago What? Sitting around like school detention for not having a job? Isn't there anything that needs doing in Great Britain? Can't you set these people to something useful so they can take a bit of pride in a job well done and re-engage with their society?

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Click to rate Report comment Trickytree, Nottingham, 16 minutes ago Seems like G4s will profit again from this, they do Security at the Job Centres, and most only have one guard on, that will soon be tripled, trouble brewing...

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Click to rate Report comment Garfy, London, United Kingdom, 6 hours ago Employers know the sort of people that suit them best, on the whole the young, healthy, quick to learn, who are good social mixers, not a hoot given to where they come from or for that matter their English skills. The long term unemployed tend to be older, wiser, but not suited to the reckless pace of the GB International Business Park . Huge resources would be needed to supervise 35-Hour weeks. Surely the same money could be better used for creating government enterprises that employ these people?

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ThugsOfKali, Briamlon, United Kingdom, 4 hours ago hmmmm, so all the unemployed have to go to the job centre for 35 hours a week....where do you propose to put them all Mr IBS?

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Click to rate Report comment Grumpy 0ld Man, Leeds, United Kingdom, 6 hours ago They have 2 hopes Bob Hope and No Hope. Its just rhetoric saying what they think people want to hear, it will never be implemented because someone (like the girl that sued because the dole office sent her to work for nothing in a supermarket) will claim its against there human rights and as someone else said where are they going to get the staff from to look after these people.

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Click to rate Report comment adam.halls, uk, United Kingdom, 17 minutes ago WHAT ABOUT THE HMPS ARE THE GOV GOING TO CHARGE THEM FOR THERE STAY. YOU GET MORE HELP WITH DOING A CRIME, YOU GET FREE LEGAL AID,NO BILLS TO PAY, FOOD, HEATING,FREE GYM. FREE STAY, FREE TV, YOU EARN CASH WHEN YOU ARE IN HMPS, YOU GET NVQS AND WHEN YOU LEAVE YOU GET CASH AND HELP TO FIND A NEW PLACE . DO YOU REALLY THINK THE DRUNKS AND DRUG ADDICTS WILL DO THIS NEW GOV SCHEME OR WILL THEY SAY F THIS AND CRIME GO UP? AS ITS ALL FREE WITH HER MAJESTY PRISON SERVICE.

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Click to rate Report comment Robert Esquire, Tamworth, United Kingdom, 7 hours ago A lot of ideas do not work because of the outsourcing and the type of teachers, leaders. I went to a course aimed at helping people get work . Only 4-5 people turned up and the leader announced the three day course would be reduced to one day because of the low numbers. I am now retired and investing in shares, still thinking of writing a couple of books and learning new skills like painting and woodwork.

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Click to rate Report comment thommo, solihull, 5 hours ago ..and do what for 35 hours, exactly? ...and when they leave after 7 hours, won`t they then go do their cash in hand jobs after they`ve left the building? If the tories hadn`t sacked all the benefit enquiry officers, you wouldn`t need this draconian measure. And where exactly are they going to sit for 35 hours? ...and who will supervise them doing nothing? It`s all your fault you got made redundant, we will give you Orange uniforms with the words dole scrounger on the back, that will teach you, now go and pick broccoli for 3 an hour, doctor, Professor, qualified vet nurse, ex benefits inspector................................

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