Video briefing: can it be enforced?

The Housing Minister was today accused of risking a "return to the workhouse" after saying the unemployed should have to seek work or lose their council homes.

Caroline Flint said that there was clear evidence that many of the long-term unemployed in social housing could find work with the right support.

She suggested that new council tenants who can work should have to sign "commitment contracts", agreeing to actively seek employment and to retrain to top up their skills.

If successful, the jobseeking contracts could be extended to existing council tenants, in a move which would affect up to a million people.

Housing charities criticised the idea. Adam Sampson, the Shelter chief executive, said: "The Government wants to return Britain’s unemployed to the workhouse by throwing them onto the streets.

"What is being proposed would destroy families and communities and add to the thousands who are already homeless.

"We accept there’s a problem with some unemployed people shying away from work, but the Government must find other ways to tackle the issue."

Leslie Morphy, chief executive at Crisis, the national charity for single homeless people, said that encouragement and enablement were the way to help people to build independent lives, not threats.

And David Orr, chief executive of the National Housing Federation, which represents England’s housing associations, said: "Such a policy would be unfair and impossible to enforce.

"Many of the jobs open to people, especially at the lower skills end, are insecure or temporary. Also, people with health problems, such as mental health issues, may find there are periods when they cannot keep up their job.

"Instead of taking a punitive approach, the Government should build upon the successful employment schemes already being run by housing associations around the country."

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