Chris Grayling
Employment minister Chris Grayling says that, of the 28 organisations that pulled out of the programme, 15 were from the voluntary sector
A total of 15 voluntary sector organisations pulled out of the Work Programme in the second half of last year, according to new figures .
Answering a parliamentary question from Jon Trickett, the shadow minister for the Cabinet Office, employment minister Chris Grayling said 28 organisations had withdrawn from the welfare-to-work scheme as subcontractors between August and January, of which 15 were from the voluntary and community sector.
He said that 26 organisations had joined the supply chain during the same period, of which 11 were voluntary and community sector organisations.
Grayling did not supply figures for the number of organisations in the supply chain, but figures from the Department for Work and Pensions published in March showed that 420 organisations from the voluntary and community sector were involved in the programme at the end of January.
Grayling said that the next assessment of suppliers would be carried out in July and at six-monthly intervals thereafter.
Charitable organisations that have pulled out of the programme in the past few months citing a lack of referrals include the homelessness charity St Mungo’s and the Single Homeless Project.
