In a dramatic shake up of the welfare system, the government has pledged to force long-term unemployed people back to work or face losing their benefits.

Sunday tabloid The People reports that in an 'exclusive interview', Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Yvette Cooper outlined plans to save an estimated £15 billion by guaranteeing that people will find work within two years of claiming jobseekers allowance. She says that the new system will help get 1.5million people back to work.

The planned crackdown aims to improve the current numbers of benefit claimants; around 1.5 million people are estimated to be claiming jobseekers allowance at the moment. The People reports that the new regime is aimed primarily at the 35,200 of these who have reportedly been claiming for over two years.

With an investment of £5bn into the Future Jobs Fund, the government aims to create around 200,000 minimum wage positions in various areas of public services throughout the UK to provide opportunities for the unemployed. At least 10,000 "Green" jobs are to created in areas such as renewable energy, as well as at local authorities in everything from admin and social care jobs to forestry and housing.

According to The People, Jobcentre staff will focus on placing young people and the long-term unemployed into these jobs. Failure to take up these jobs could result in suspension of benefits for anything between one to 26 weeks, until the situation is reviewed.

Ms Cooper told the newspaper that "we cant afford not to to spend [this money]. Getting people back to work will save money in the long run."

She said: "As the economy recovers, we want to see that nobody is left behind but also that nobody is out of work who can work. It is not on for people to turn their back on help to get a job. These change will help make sure that people have stronger responsibilities and obligation to take up help when it is offered."