Jobcentres: Staff

(asked on 10th February 2022) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made made for the implications of her policies of the Public and Commercial Services Union press notice, entitled PCS condemns government Way to Work initiative, published 27 January 2022, which cites the potential negative effects of that campaign on jobcentre staff; and if she will make a statement.


Answered by
Mims Davies Portrait
Mims Davies
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
This question was answered on 21st February 2022

We continue to monitor the operation of all our policies and processes to ensure they remain clear, fair and effective in promoting positive behaviours and have carefully considered the impact of implementing Way to Work on jobcentre staff.

Our Jobcentre teams are committed to ensuring all claimants receive the best possible support to meet their individual circumstances. Jobcentre caseload sizes are closely monitored at both a national and sub national level to allow DWP to plan workforce numbers required. The frequency of interventions Work Coaches undertake with claimants is determined by the individual circumstances of the claimant, the duration of their claim, and the level of support required at that time. Maintaining an effective Work Coach diary is a joint responsibility between a team leader and the Work Coach; and is managed collaboratively through regular discussion and agreement.

Way to Work is a new concerted national drive to help half a million people claiming benefits into jobs by the end of June 2022, supporting them to take their next step to building a more secure and prosperous future. While we have more people on company payrolls than before the pandemic, latest figures show there are around 1.2 million vacancies across the economy, including many in key sectors.

Through Way to Work we will work with employers and claimants to support people into work more swiftly. This isn’t a new sanctions policy.

What’s changing is the time people have to limit their search for jobs in their preferred sector. Claimants with skills and experience for a specific type of role will be permitted up to four weeks to secure employment in that sector rather than the previous 13 weeks. Sanctions are only ever used where someone fails to comply with reasonable and appropriate commitments that have previously been agreed, without good reason. These steps are agreed with the claimant, outlined in the claimant commitment and followed up during discussions with Work Coaches.

If, after 4 weeks, claimants refuse to widen their job search and apply for a broader range of roles, attend interviews or take up paid work outside of their preferred sector without good reason, then they may be referred for a sanction.

Sanctions are only used when jobseekers fail to meet their agreed requirements or refuse to take up or stay in employment without good reason. The latest statistics show the sanctions rate at 2.37% which is below pre-pandemic levels.

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