Jobcentre Plus: Closures Debate

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Department: Department for Work and Pensions

Tom Brake

Main Page: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)

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Adult Social Care Funding

Jobcentre Plus: Closures

Tom Brake Excerpts

Points of Order
Thursday 6th July 2017

(6 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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David Gauke Portrait Mr Gauke
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There is an important outreach role that jobcentre staff can and will perform. It is simply not the case that all work is done within jobcentres themselves. Staff can provide outreach services in other sites as well, as indeed they will increasingly do.

Tom Brake Portrait Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington) (LD)
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Sutton is a pilot for universal credit. I support the principle of universal credit, but the difficulty is that it is extremely complex and is leaving some people completely unable to plan their expenditure. When universal credit is rolled out more widely, how will the Minister ensure that those who cannot register their claims online, or, indeed, those who feel that they have to go to the jobcentre because they cannot rely on the post delivering certain items, are not severely disadvantaged?

David Gauke Portrait Mr Gauke
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As I have said, 99% register for universal credit online. Also, those who are seeking work are expected to spend up to 35 hours a week searching for work, and that includes the time taken to get to jobcentres, for example. In very particular cases, if there are those who are not able to make it to jobcentres, other arrangements can be made.

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