workfare

workfare A system making income support for the unemployed conditional on their performing some form of work for which they are suitable. Advocates of this policy argue that such work would benefit both society and the recipients, as it would improve their self-respect and future employment prospects. It would also reduce fraud on the social security system by those actually working in the unofficial economy while claiming benefit. Critics argue that compulsory workfare would be very expensive: determining people's ability to work and supervising work by the unwilling would use scarce resources, which would be better spent on training those who actually want work. Providing child-care for unskilled single parents could also cost more than the value of any work they might do.