Chapter 15: Department for Work and Pensions
Aim
Promote opportunity and independence for all
Objectives and performance targets
Objective I: ensure the best start for all children and end child poverty in 20 years.
1. Reduce the number of children in low-income households by at least a quarter by 2004, as a contribution towards the broader target of halving child poverty by 2010 and eradicating it by 2020. Joint target with HM Treasury.
2. Double the proportion of Parents with Care on Income Support and income-based Jobseekers' Allowance who receive maintenance for their children to 60% by March 2006.
Objective II: promote work as the best form of welfare for people of working age, while protecting the position of those in greatest need.
3. Demonstrate progress by Spring 2006 on increasing the employment rate and reducing the unemployment rate over the economic cycle. Joint target with HM Treasury.
4. Over the three years to Spring 2006, increase the employment rates of disadvantaged areas and groups, taking account of the economic cycle lone parents, ethnic minorities, people aged 50 and over, those with the lowest qualifications, and the 30 local authority districts with the poorest initial labour market position, and significantly reduce the difference between their employment rates and the overall rate.
5. Reduce the proportion of children in households with no one in work over the 3 years from Spring 2003 to Spring 2006 by 61/2%.
Objective III: combat poverty and promote security and independence in retirement for today's and tomorrow's pensioners.
6. By 2006, be paying Pension Credit to at least 3 million pensioner households.
Objective IV: improve rights and opportunities for disabled people in a fair and inclusive society.
7. In the three years to 2006, increase the employment rate of people with disabilities, taking account of the economic cycle, and significantly reduce the difference between their employment rate and the overall rate. Work to improve the rights of disabled people and to remove barriers to their participation in society.
Objective V: modernise welfare delivery so as to improve the accessibility, accuracy and value for money of services to customers, including employers.
8. Make significant progress towards modernising welfare delivery so that by 2005, 85% of customers have their benefit paid into their bank accounts.
9. Improve delivery of DWP services by setting published annual targets for each major business addressing accuracy, unit costs and customer service, becoming progressively more demanding over the three year period.
10. Reduce losses from fraud and error for people of working age in Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance, with a 33% reduction by March 2004 and 50% by 2006 and in Housing Benefit, with a 25% reduction by 2006.
Who is responsible for delivery?
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is responsible for the delivery of this PSA. The Chancellor of the Exchequer is jointly responsible for delivering targets 1 and 3. Target 4, to the extent that it relates to ethnic minorities, is shared with the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.