Asked by: Marco Longhi (Conservative - Dudley North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to help ensure equality of employment opportunity in Dudley North constituency.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
DWP offers significant support to unemployed people across Great Britain to access employment opportunities through our network of Jobcentres. Our Work Coaches provide support on finding a job, help with retraining or skills advice, CV, job applications and access to the new vacancies we record every day, as well as signposting to our new Jobhelp website. We adopt a blended approach of channels to connect with customers, to reflect current restrictions and comply with COVID safety.
The Department is working closely with other government departments, external organisations and local partners to support people into work.
The Kickstart scheme was recently launched to help young people aged 16-24 find 6-month work places in Dudley, and we have developed Youth Hubs locally to provide outreach support. There are two Youth Hubs which can be accessed by young people in Dudley, one at The Archives in Dudley Town Centre and one at the Merry Hill Centre in Brierley Hill. We have also partnered with employers in the area to deliver Mentoring Circles and Sector-based Work Academy Programmes.
Asked by: Marco Longhi (Conservative - Dudley North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support people with mental disabilities (a) into and (b) to remain in employment.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
The Government is committed to reducing the disability employment gap and seeing a million more disabled people in work by 2027.
We help disabled people, including those with mental health conditions and learning disabilities, return to and stay in work through programmes including the Work and Health Programme, the new Intensive Personalised Employment Support Programme, Access to Work and Disability Confident.
Asked by: Marco Longhi (Conservative - Dudley North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if the Government has plans to extend financial support for people that need to take time off work to care for vulnerable relatives suffering from covid-19.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
It is likely that many employees who have received a shield letter will be able to work from home and therefore be entitled to normal pay. We would encourage employers to make this happen where possible. For those that cannot work from home, we would encourage employers to furlough these staff.
Under the scheme employers will be eligible to apply for a government grant of 80% of workers’ salaries up to £2,500 a month. The scheme will be backdated to 1st March and available for at least three months, with the first grants expected to be paid within weeks.
There is also the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme which will help eligible freelance workers receive up to £2,500 per month in grants for at least three months.
The Government has set up an advice contact centre and website exclusively to help those who have been identified as shielding to access support.
A new Local Support System in England will make sure those individuals that have been identified by the NHS to stay at home, and who are without a support network of friends and family, will receive essential supplies such as groceries and medicine.
Everyone infected with Covid-19 or required to self-isolate will be treated as having Limited Capability for Work in ESA and UC without the requirement for fit notes or undergoing a Work Capability Assessment. Those applying for Contributory ESA will be able to claim from day 1 – as opposed to day 8 - and we have removed the need for face-to-face assessment.