In future, the new compulsory work-focused personal adviser meetings for all lone parents will bring them within the knowledge economy. I trust that that will springboard them and their children out of a lifetime in poverty. Yet 1 million disabled people say that they would like to work, and 400,000 believe that they could work given the right support. Hence our New Deal for disabled people, in conjunction with the Department for Education and Employment. Our pilot schemes have already helped over 5,000 disabled people into work.
Early intervention is essential.
That is why we are now rolling out nationally a programme of job brokers to offer people receiving incapacity benefit the support and guidance that they need to find paid work. Carers shoulder responsibilities with enormous courage and grace. They, too, often find themselves edged out of the labour market and then, five or 10 years later, find it very hard to re-enter work. That is why I am so delighted that we were able to unveil just a few weeks ago what I believe to be the best ver package of support for carers. We were able not only significantly to increase the carers premium for those who are in receipt of income support and not in work, but also to extend that premium for the first time to pensioners in that situation.