Manchester evidence session to quiz Burnham on Jobcentre reforms
28 March 2025
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham will be among the witnesses when the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee holds a public evidence session in Manchester Town Hall as it continues its inquiry into reforming Jobcentres.
- Watch the session
- Inquiry: Get Britain Working: Reforming Jobcentres
- Inquiry: Pensioner Poverty: challenges and mitigations
- Work and Pensions Committee
Representatives from pensioner advocacy groups from Greater Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds will also lay out the experiences of the elderly in their regions for the Committee’s pensioner poverty inquiry. They will also be asked about their work to alleviate deprivation in retirement and how Government policy changes could help.
Greater Manchester has nearly half a million people out of work. More than 75,000 are searching for employment, and 80,000 want to work but have long-term sickness that provides additional challenges. Many of them would have to deal with Jobcentres and will be impacted by any reform.
Mr Burnham will be questioned on how proposed reforms to Jobcentres, which will be merged with the National Careers Service, can work with local government initiatives to improve employment outcomes. Greater Manchester’s Live Well is one such initiative that takes a more integrated approach between different organisations involved in finding people work.
Written evidence
In written evidence, Greater Manchester Combined Authority wrote that deprivation amongst 66 year-olds and older was “particularly high” in the area. The Government’s own impact analysis stated its decision to restrict Winter Fuel Payments last winter will put 50,000 more UK pensioners in poverty. Local authorities and charities have since stepped in to give retirees more support.
Witnesses
Reforming Jobcentres from 09.00
Panel 1
- Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester.
Pensioner Poverty
Panel 1 from 10.00
- Paul McGarry, Head of Greater Manchester Ageing Hub, Great Manchester Combined Authority;
- Lauren Mckechnie, Chief Executive, Age UK Bolton;
- Trish Martin, Advice Servies Manager, Southway Housing
- Jo Volpe, Leeds Older People’s Forum;
- Jo Rowlands, Financial Inclusion Manager, Leeds City Council.
Panel 2 from 11.30
- Sue Forster, Welfare Rights Coordinator, Citizens Advice Liverpool;
- Idowu Khadijat Morafa, Founder and Director, Across Ummah.
Further information
Image: Adobe Stock