From a DfEE press release -
"Prime Minister Tony Blair announced today that the New Deal has found work for 100,000 young unemployed people since its launch last April putting it on track to meet the Government’s pledge to get 250,000 from welfare into work. In addition, 50,000 employers have signed up to the New Deal.
New Deal has also helped to cut down on benefit fraud in the 18-24 age group since New Deal was introduced. A new local survey showed that out of those who had left the New Deal for unknown destinations, four out of 100 admitted to working and claiming benefit until caught out by New Deal.
Investigators stressed that the real figure would actually be much larger since the survey only detected those who had admitted fraud. Many more would have stopped claiming benefit without admitting cheating, flushed out by the New Deal. In addition, over 7,000 young people were sanctioned in the last six months for not complying with the conditions of entering the New Deal and a new, more strict sanction, will shortly come into force with loss of benefit for up to six months rather than four weeks as at present."
