Boris Johnson’s flagship jobs scheme was a failure, new figures reveal

Boris Johnson with work and pensions secretary Therese Coffey visiting a training academy in Stockton-on-Tees. Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA

Boris Johnson’s flagship jobs scheme appears to have failed, despite his claim that it helped half a million people into work.

The Way to Work scheme set a target to support 500,000 people into employment by cutting jobseekers’ benefits after four weeks unless they applied for work outside their normal occupation.