Ruth Porter
Crime & Justice Research Fellow, 2013
Jobcentres are failing to help people find long-term work and should be restructured under new plans that will enable private companies and charities to compete with government providers to offer more personalised and specialist support to jobseekers. Joined up Welfare shows that just over a third (36%) of people using jobcentres find sustained work. Many find themselves in and out of employment largely due to having barriers to work which […]
Taxing Jobs argues that because pay and productivity have remained strongly linked over the course of the recession, wages will begin to rise and productivity will improve as employers take on more staff. Providing a boost to the labour market in the form of a cut to the payroll tax for businesses would speed up the rate at which companies take on more staff. This would reduce unemployment more quickly and force employers to improve productivity and therefore pay among their workforces.
Ruth Porter, Head of Economic & Social Policy at Policy Exchange, outlines the recommendations made in our recently published report Joined Up Welfare. The report calls for a more personalised approach to welfare provision to ensure that jobseekers with multiple challenges to finding work are provided with the right support. It argues that private companies, charities and the employment services part of Jobcentre Plus should be allowed to compete to provide support to jobseekers because, as Ruth argues, competition drives improvement.
Ruth Porter, Head of Economic & Social Policy at Policy Exchange, looks at what last week’s Cabinet reshuffle might reveal about David Cameron’s plans for the 2015 general election. Ruth highlights the promotion of Liz Truss and Michael Fallon who are both “adept media performers” and could play an important role in campaigning ahead of the election. She also argues that David Cameron will focus on how fixing the economy is a two-term project, which is why George Osborne has been left as Chancellor.
Ruth Porter, Policy Exchange's Head of Economic and Social Policy, writes arguing that strike action in the modern era is proving ineffective and harmful to union members. Instead, if public sector workes want higher wages they should seek a local pay structure which reflects performance.
Ruth Porter, Head of Economic and Social Policy at Policy Exchange, outlines why Labour MPs need to start working together. Ruth argues that younger Labour MPs are more focused on building a personal reputation and express little in the way of ideological commitment. This 'rampant individualist' approach stands in stark contrast to the solidarity displayed by their Conservative counterparts, which has led to a proliferation of groups with a clear vision.
Ruth Porter, Head of Economic and Social Policy at Policy Exchange, outlines how government can speed up economic growth and subsequently improve living standards by cutting employers' National Insurance contributions. With the UK enjoying a strong connection between pay and productivity, then as output grows, so will pay. By incentivising business to employ more workers, this would therefore drive up pay.
Condemnation of the UK welfare system in its treatment of the poor. Ruth argues that the state of the economy dictates our ability to help those in need and she refers to Policy Exchange's upcoming report on sanctions and the role they play in encouraging people to find work.
Ruth Porter, Policy Exchange's Head of Economics & Social Policy, sets out some of the many reasons why we need to build more new homes, and how we can about about achieving that goal. Ruth argues that politicians have yet to catch up with voters on understanding the importance of housing as an issue.
The cost of living and economic credibility will be the defining issues of the next general election, writes Ruth Porter, Policy Exchange's Head of Economics & Social Policy. Ruth argues that a recasting of the free market is going to be necessary to tackle the challenges presented by the state of the UK economy, something which Policy Exchange will explore in our future Popular Capitalism programme.
