About The CampaignWhat we are fighting for
Policy Changes
The modernisation of welfare has to take account of the fact that thousands of people find themselves working ‘off the books’ without ever having meant to defraud the system. Community Links has thought carefully about how to help them to declare their work and continuing moving from benefits to employment. Undeclared work is wide open to exploitation and abuse, so I hope policy makers will read this report carefully: this is an opportunity for sensible far-reaching reform.
Brendan Barber, General Secretary, Trade Union Congress September 2008
To eliminate the need for cash-in-hand work, encourage people to declare their work and support them in making the transition into formal work we are campaigning for national policy changes to remove barriers and increase incentives to work formally.
- Incentivise people into formal work and progress further by continued support when in work. Create more incentives for people to declare work and make the transition out of cash-in-hand and into formal work/self employment. Read our blog entry and Earnings Disregard Report in full
- Remove the barriers to work. To ease the transition into formal employment the benefits system must guarantee security for a longer period of time, followed by a gradual, tapered withdrawal of benefits such as Housing Benefit and Passported benefits such as free health care and free school meals. Read our blog entry and Housing Benefit report in full . The Guardian has a Housing Reform debate happening. We have submitted our Housing benefit report to the consultation.
- Greater focus on the employer and more support for the informal worker. Read 'Protecting Workers and Businesses: BERR. We are working with the Employment Agency Standard Inspectorate to crack down on abusive employers and help vulnerable workers enter formal employment - Government purge on Plymoth's rouge employers
- Help people who are working informally to become formally self-employed with the support of voluntary and community organisations. Read about examples on the pilot project page. Read here for advice on self-employment- how to get started
Read our detailed policy recommendations document here
There are a number of initatives under development which explore ways of intergrating housing and employment advice and support
Worklessness and Social Housing Report, Shelter
Services need to build on the resiliance and positive steps people make to move out of poverty.
Policy makers must recognise that most people want the means to support themselves: they do not want to depend on 'handouts'.
Voices for a Change, ATD Fourth World.