Push on worklessness to be solved locally

Local authorities are set to gain more powers to tackle long-term unemployment in an overhaul of the welfare state.

The welfare reform green paper, published by work and pensions secretary James Purnell on Monday, called for a focus on local approaches to overcoming dependency.

The paper, No One Written Off, suggests individual councils or groups of authorities in multi-area agreements could bid alongside private and voluntary sector agencies to provide back-to-work schemes for people who have claimed benefits for over a year.

Local government bodies welcomed the principle of devolution, but warned the green paper itself was not explicit enough about councils' role.

Philip Mind, Local Government Association senior policy officer, said: "We need a conversation with central government, particularly on how councils can deliver these back-to-work programmes."

Mr Mind added that a multi-agency approach was vital in tackling barriers, like lack of childcare, that prevent people from working, rather than focusing soley on skills.

Andy Johnston, the Local Government Information Unit's head of centre for local sustainability, said councils should have a responsibility to tackle worklessness, but there would be capacity issues to address.