An overview of Jobcentre Plus

Janet Sinclair

Devon Partnership Manager.

2

Role of Jobcentre Plus

Part of the Department for Work and Pensions.

• Help employers to advertise and fill job vacancies • Support unemployed people back into work • Pay out-of -work benefits Jobcentre Plus

3

How we deliver

Through a network of about 750 Jobcentre Plus offices supported by a website • We encourage self service methods • We use phone and on- line methods • We see those who need most help face to face Jobcentre Plus

4

Our workless customers

• • Customers who are unemployed and looking for immediate work.

• Jobseekers Allowance –

JSA

Customers who are not working due to a health related condition • Customers who have a caring responsibility.

• • Employment and Support Allowance –

ESA

Income Support -

IS

Jobcentre Plus

5

Statistical information

In Exeter 1.

– – – 2010 people claim JSA (September 2012) Of which 585 are 18-24 year olds 41.5% have been unemployed for over 6 months 25.9% have been unemployed for over a year 2.

3.

4,590 claim ESA/IB, 5.5% of working age population 830 claim IS as Lone Parents, 1.0% of working age population Jobcentre Plus

6

Comparative data, as a % of working age population

•

Jobseekers Allowance

Exeter 2.4%; Southwest 2.6%; GB 3.8% •

Employment and Support Allowance & IB

Exeter 5.5%; Southwest 5.8%; GB 6.5% •

Income Support Lone Parents

Exeter 1.0%; Southwest 1.1%; GB 1.5% Jobcentre Plus

7

Welfare Reform Period of transition

• • • • Cuts, Challenges, Changes De-regulation; De-centralisation; Local delivery through partnerships.

Welfare Reform – across all areas of benefit ; demanding time line; simplifying a very complex system; ensuring it always pays to work; digital by default There is still much that we do not yet - but we know we will have to deliver more for less, payments are outcome-based, our help will be more targeted and we will be looking for more local solutions.

Jobcentre Plus

8

What we deliver

A wide range of provision to help our workless customers get work.

•

In house

through our advisory services • Through our

contracted providers

• Sign- posting customers to

provision in the community

.

Jobcentre Plus

9

How our advisers work with unemployed people,

• • • • • Individual and flexible approach All support is focussed on helping the person move into work.

Training is linked to the skills required by the individual to gain employment in the local area.

All unemployed people of working age have a responsibility to gain work as soon as possible.

Devon and Cornwall Jobcentre District have a flexible fund to help people move into work.

Jobcentre Plus

10

Get Britain Working

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Work Clubs Work Together Work Experience Work for Yourself – New Enterprise Allowance + Enterprise clubs Service Academies

Work Programme

Jobcentre Plus

Training opportunities [funded by Skills Funding Agency] • • We are developing local partnerships to influence what training is needed and available.

There is increased emphasis that funded training for unemployed people is linked to known job opportunities- short and job-focussed

SFA allocate 3 budgets

1.

16-18 apprenticeship budget on behalf of the Department of Education 2.

Adult Skills Budget 3.

Skills Funding Agency, European Social Fund Budge 11 Jobcentre Plus

12

Any Questions?

Jobcentre Plus