The UK Government's overhaul of the benefits system will have a tremendous impact on the relationship claimants have with the state. As the debate continues over the implications of the Universal Credit System (UCS), this conference is a timely opportunity to hear from experts involved.

Given the current economic reality it is important that any changes to welfare are balanced with increased focus on skills and opportunities. There are 102,000 young people aged 16 to 24 without a job, a rise of 2000 from the previous year. Increasing numbers of young people are leaving education early without the skills they need to find work. It is clear that economic, social and cultural factors are combining to punctuate the problem.

The employment landscape is changing and the benefits system must learn to adapt. Simply changing the means by which people can claim benefits will not solve the problem in isolation; there must be a sustained effort to improve people’s chances of starting and maintaining employment.

The Work Programme has been introduced by the UK Government to provide individually tailored support for claimants in the job market. It is thought that contracted service providers can help participants overcome the barriers that have prevented them from finding work. The Government has claimed it will encourage people to enter the job market by making the transition easier and more financially manageable, whilst negating the poor work incentives that they say have hindered the job market.  

The UCS will combine Working Tax Credit; Child Tax Credit; Housing Benefit; Income Support; Income-based Job Seekers Allowance; Income-related Employment and Support Allowance into one singular payment.

The Government has claimed it will encourage people to enter the job market by making the transition easier and more financially manageable, whilst negating the poor work incentives that they say have hindered the job market. The development of skills is vital if this process is to work. By delivering an environment with a workforce equipped with the skills necessary to deliver innovative solutions it is hoped unemployment figures will start to fall along with the number of people claiming benefits.

In order to achieve this, the public and private sector needs to change the way they work together to support young people. Small and medium enterprises need to be supported in order to create job opportunities which in turn can contribute to economic stability.

Unemployment is a deeply complex issue with innumerable mitigating factors and outcomes; as a result it can be misleading to look at the figures alone. We will break down the statistics and get to the core issues at the heart of unemployment in Scotland and the means by which we can get people back to work.

This Holyrood magazine conference will look at how we understand unemployment in Scotland and achieve sustainable growth. It will explore the skills needed to ensure Scotland has a flexible and adaptable workforce, able to meet ever changing economic needs. Delegates will also hear from those who work with Scotland’s most vulnerable groups on how best to help people back into work.