House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee Report on DWP’s preparations for changes in the world of work

Responding to the launch of the Work and Pensions Committee report on DWP’s preparations for changes in the world of work Women’s Budget Group Director Mary-Ann Stephenson said today,

“The UK Women’s Budget Group welcomes the report from the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee on the DWP’s preparations for changes in the world of work.

We welcome the report’s recognition that, without a plan from the Government, technological changes in the workplace will exacerbate existing inequalities for women since they are more likely to be in jobs that are at high risk of automation.

We are pleased that the committee’s report calls for a greater focus on retraining and reskilling to support people to get back to work after the pandemic. The Women’s Budget Group recognise that changes in the world of work present the government with an opportunity to boost the economy,  by pursuing a high-road approach to the labour market – reskilling and retraining people for new, high quality jobs. Plans to do this are also necessary to better support women’s dynamic relationship with the active labour market and to ensure that they are not locked out of returning to paid employment, after taking time out due to caring responsibilities.

We welcome and support the call made in the report for the Government to develop a comprehensive long-term strategy on how it will prepare for changes in the world of work, taking into account the pre-existing, structural inequalities of the labour market.”

Further information

For more information on how to build an economy that addresses inequality, individual wellbeing and sustainability,  please see our report for the Commission on a Gender-Equal Economy.

For more information contact: georgia.sangster@wbg.org.uk