BRIDGING THE POLICY GAP : Project: NAPs

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The National Action Plan on Social Inclusion

In the year 2000, the member states of the EU set out a strategy aimed at making the Union the most 'dynamic knowledge based economy in the world by 2010'. To this end, the member states committed themselves to economic modernisation, to creating more and better jobs, to greater social cohesion and to making a decisive impact on poverty.
In drawing up the NAP Social Inclusion, Governments must seek to involve all those with an interest in social inclusion and anti-poverty policy, including people with experience of poverty. In the UK the process of developing the NAP has brought together representatives of the Department for Work and Pensions with voluntary organisations and people with experience of poverty to discuss the problems of poverty.
After each member state submits their NAPs the Commission works with national governments to prepare a joint report summarising action across the EU. These reports identify good practice and new approaches to social exclusion, supporting the transfer of policies across the EU.

Working Together: The UK NAP on Social Inclusion 2006-08

The 2006 UK National Action Plan (NAP) outlines the action that the UK will take in the period 2006 to 2008 to tackle poverty and increase social inclusion. It was produced with reference to the EU common objectives, is informed by a range of indicators and follows a format agreed between the Member States and the European Commission.
The UK NAP highlights the range of actions that are being undertaken across the UK, and focuses on four key areas: access to the labour market, child poverty, access to services and tackling discrimination. Some key actions highlighted in the current NAP include:

Relevant Links

The 2006 National Action Plan can be accessed at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2006/nap/
The 2006 report is, for the first time, part of a wider strategic report (the National Report) covering pensions and healthcare as well as social inclusion. The National Report can be found at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2006/socialprotection/

Bridging the Policy Gap, C/O The Poverty Allaince, 162 Buchanan Street, Glasgow, G1 2LL, Tel: 0141 353 0440, email: admin (at) povertyalliance.org

This Project received funding from the European Community under the community Action Programme to Combat Social Exclusion 2002 - 2006