1. WORK PROGRAMME Falkirk Approach Welfare to Work Scotland 2012
Pamela Smith
Falkirk Council
Chair of Scottish Local Authority Economic Development (Employability)
Falkirk Council

2. Welfare to Work Scotland 2012
Why did we not get involved in the work programme?
Lack of transparency
Lack of local accountability
Risk – reputational and financial
Terms of engagement
Falkirk Council

3. Welfare to Work Scotland 2012
What did we hope for?
To negotiate local arrangements incorporating the WP into the Pipeline
Realisation by Primes of the need to be more open and connected
Buy into / or pay for services on offer – access to pipeline
Falkirk Council

4. Welfare to Work Scotland 2012
What has happened?
Splendid isolation…………
No connectivity
Lack of transparency/reporting
Clients disadvantaged
Continued recession
Falkirk Council

5. Welfare to Work Scotland 2012
What do we need to do now?
Stop and take stock
Review arrangements
Align provision to Pipeline
Coherent offer to job seekers
Equality of access and support
Re-organise funding and payments
Today we are going to discuss what welfare reform is
The context of welfare reform within the Council – where it sits and the steps we are planning to take to
Some information about what we know about universal Credit
And Pamela will discuss the welfare to work agenda and the approach of the Employablity Partnership to this
We will then take some questions and I will end by highlighting some of our future plans
Falkirk Council

6. Welfare to Work Scotland 2012
What is stopping us?
Falkirk Council