Making Work Pay

I've become increasingly annoyed about the tax / benefits system while meeting people across the Cynon Valley. I've met a number of people who are currently in receipt of benefits who want to out and work, but they find that having been offered job(s) at the minimum wage or slightly above, their financial position would be virtually unchanged if they went out to work. This seems manifestly unfair. If people are ready, willing and able to work - there is work for them to do - then surely the tax and benefit system should reward those who go out and work. This almost certainly means extending either tax credits and / or expanding the money someone can earn without paying any tax - but if we are serious about getting more people into work and reducing our economic inactivity rate the tax system has to support this.