Government Website Tells Universal Credit Claimants They Could Work As "Striptease Artists"
22 August 2019, 16:09
The Department for Work and Pensions has said the suggestion was posted by mistake.
A government webpage has listed "dances in adult entertainment establishments" as one option for people looking for jobs with "no formal academic skills".
The webpage, which featured on the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) website, listed suggested those receiving Universal Credit could search for work as a "striptease artist".
In a statement, the Universal Credit team said, "“this is inappropriate and we will immediately review this to determine why it is mistakenly listed."
"This is not the type of employment our work coaches help people into, and since 2010 more than 75% of all new jobs created are high-skilled and full-time."
Other job suggestions included becoming a fortune-teller or loading a Bingo machine.
Paul Morrison, a policy advisor to the Methodist Church who spotted the adverts, said: “suggesting that people perform in strip clubs is clearly unacceptable.”
He added it was part of a wider problem, that Universal Credit is “pushing people towards low paid, insecure jobs that exploit and trap families in poverty.”
"People trapped in poverty with few qualifications and limited options should not be pushed towards sex work. It is shocking that the DWP needs to be told that."
He argued that the adverts are being aimed at vulnerable people.
The post comes after DWP ministers admitted that the new benefits system is pushing people towards "survival sex" and that the government needs to "better understand this area".
More than 2 million UK households currently receive Universal Credit.
