The coalition Government will call for an end to a culture of welfare dependency under plans for a "radical reform" of the system
2010-05-27
Work and Pensions Secretary, Iain Duncan Smith, will stress the importance of tackling the root cause of poverty as he outlines his vision of bringing the welfare system into the 21st century.
He will argue that poverty and worklessness can only be tackled by reform which ends the "absurd situation" where some of the poorest faced huge penalties for trying to get off benefits and into work.
A new Government report will be published revealing that income inequality in the UK is now at its highest level since comparable statistics began in 1961.
Mr Duncan Smith will say in a speech in London: "A system that was originally designed to help support the poorest in society is now trapping them in the very condition it was supposed to alleviate. Instead of helping, a deeply unfair benefits system too often writes people off.
"I want to reinforce my personal determination to remove the barriers to social mobility and equal opportunity, and I wish to set out my determination to build a fairer society, as we strive to secure equality as a reality across our nation and into our daily lives."
