DIAL UK News
Principles of Welfare Reform
Publication date: 04 / 11 / 2005
On Monday 10th October the Secretary of State for Works and Pensions, the Rt Hon David Blunkett MP announced the new Principles for Welfare Reform. I am please to say DIAL UK was invited to attend this launch along with many other National Organisations.
There are 8 main principles:
1. Help people to help themselves by offering a ladder to self-reliance and self-determination, not merely a safety net in time of need
2. See work as the best route out of welfare
3. Promote understanding and enable people to make informed choices for themselves
4. Balance rights with responsibility, while recognising the need for support and care where appropriate
5. Recognise our mutual interdependence and obligations to each other, promoting
solidarity between generations, and the importance of using the resources
of Government to help people cope with rapid economic and social change
6. Ensure the roles of the state is active, liberating and enabling
7. Address the root causes of poverty and overcome intergenerational disadvantage and exclusion.
8. Contribute to a stable and growing economy through investments in the potential of every individual, and flexibility of support in and out of work.
Mr. Blunkett reported that the values of equality, opportunity, fairness and social justice underpin the principles.
These principles are to develop and build on those laid out in A New Contract for Welfare published in 1998, using those original objectives to underpin the future Welfare Reform Agenda.
The idea now is to enter into dialogue with the public, employers, agencies and voluntary and community groups working with, and supporting those who seek to lift themselves out of poverty and dependence.
This is your opportunity to feed into and shape the future of the Welfare State.
Please feel free to write to DIAL UK with any concerns or issues you think need feeding back into these discussions to ensure your views are being heard.
