Labour’s flagship back-to-work scheme has failed to hit even half its target as the long-term jobless refuse to sign up.
Official figures show the £1.2billion Connect to Work scheme recruited just 13,900 people in its first year – far below the goal of 33,623.
The initiative is designed to persuade thousands with long-term health conditions to sign up for help in getting back to work.
Despite being launched in a blaze of publicity, initial take up for the scheme was sluggish.
Five days before the end of its first year, ministers ordered the target to be slashed – citing ‘optimism bias’ in the original
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