The Institute for Public Policy Research said the system urged people to apply for “any job” under an ABC policy – “Any job first, Better job next and into a Career”.

But the approach is “narrow” and shortterm focused, wasting employers’ time and workers’ talents. The IPPR also cited an assumption that people do not want to find work, which leads to threats of sanction by not giving benefits.

MelanieWilkes of the IPPR said it “reinforces poor-quality work”. She added: “We need a new universal public employment service to help people into meaningful work.”

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Job hunter Ella was made to take a retail role or lose her benefit, despite having a higher education certificate and wanting work in criminal justice or court advocacy.

She said: “There’s nothing to personalise your job search… any job they’d throw at me I’d have to take, or I would be sanctioned.”

The Government says it will invest £3.5billion over five years to deliver “employment support for job seekers, focusing on what people can do”.

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