Jobseeker's Allowance and Universal Credit: Self-employed

(asked on 30th March 2022) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 16 March 2022 to Question 138302, if her Department will carry out a detailed impact assessment analysing the potential effect of the Universal Credit and Jobseeker’s Allowance (Work Search and Work Availability Requirements - limitations) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 on the self-employed, including those with variable and unpredictable income such as performing arts practitioners.


Answered by
Mims Davies Portrait
Mims Davies
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
This question was answered on 19th April 2022

Further to our answer to Question 138302, these Regulations have been introduced as part of the Way to Work campaign, and reflect the evidence that the longer a person is out of work, the harder it is for them to secure a job. Way to Work also means that we are giving new claimants more time with their Work Coach and bringing employers into our jobcentres in order to quickly move claimants into work. Gainfully self-employed claimants are exempt from work search and availability requirements to allow them to focus on their business.

We do not hold data that allows us to identify those with marginal employment or within specific sectors that have been granted a permitted period. As is routine, we will be assessing the impact of the changes on Universal Credit claimants more generally.

We are enhancing our programme of support for workers on Universal Credit starting from April 2022. More people who are in work and on low incomes will be able to access Work Coach support to help them to increase their earnings and move into better paid quality jobs. Work coach support will focus on removing barriers to progression and offering career progression advice, such as considering skills gaps, identifying training opportunities, or looking for progression opportunities for the claimant in their current role or supporting them into a new role. Jobcentres will be supported in this new role by a network of 37 Progression Champions across Great Britain who will spearhead the scheme. Progression Champions will work with key partners, including local government, employers, and skills providers to identify and develop local progression opportunities. They will also work with partners to address local barriers that limit progression such as childcare and transport.

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