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12/02/2007
Unemployed urged to learn English or lose benefits
Unemployed people who cannot speak English could face losing their benefits if they do not demonstrate that they are trying to learn the language, under new plans announced by the government.
Around £4.5 million is spent on providing translators in job centres every year, while around 40,000 unemployed people cite being unable to speak the language as a barrier to finding work.
The plans, which will come into force in April, will require job centres in England to encourage the take-up of English courses.
Welfare Minister Jim Murphy said that it was "unacceptable" that ethnic minorities earned a third less on average than their white counterparts in Britain. He said: "We must utilise the resources we have to redress the balance: to put the emphasis not just on translating language to claim a benefit, but to teaching language to get a job."
Liberal Democrat work and pensions secretary David Laws said: "It makes sense to ensure that people seeking employment have the basic skills necessary to get jobs, including speaking the language.
"However, it is ironic that the government is seeking to introduce this change at the same time as education ministers are cutting back on the provision of classes for those without English as a first language.
"What is happening here seems to be the perfect example of un-joined up government. If these changes are going to be introduced then there needs to be free or low cost language training available in a way that's not presently planned."
(KMcA)
Around £4.5 million is spent on providing translators in job centres every year, while around 40,000 unemployed people cite being unable to speak the language as a barrier to finding work.
The plans, which will come into force in April, will require job centres in England to encourage the take-up of English courses.
Welfare Minister Jim Murphy said that it was "unacceptable" that ethnic minorities earned a third less on average than their white counterparts in Britain. He said: "We must utilise the resources we have to redress the balance: to put the emphasis not just on translating language to claim a benefit, but to teaching language to get a job."
Liberal Democrat work and pensions secretary David Laws said: "It makes sense to ensure that people seeking employment have the basic skills necessary to get jobs, including speaking the language.
"However, it is ironic that the government is seeking to introduce this change at the same time as education ministers are cutting back on the provision of classes for those without English as a first language.
"What is happening here seems to be the perfect example of un-joined up government. If these changes are going to be introduced then there needs to be free or low cost language training available in a way that's not presently planned."
(KMcA)
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