Charity bosses have been urged not to exploit forced labour available through the government’s new “workfare” programme, which was launched today.

The new mandatory community work placements (CWPs) require that jobseeker’s allowance claimants do six months work placement — or risk losing their benefits.

General union Unite reps in the not-for-profit sector will challenge the exploitative new scheme and ask charity managers not to sign up for community work placements, which are being promoted by Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith.