Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in what circumstances his Department will pay claimants' travel costs to and from Jobcentre appointments; and what guidance his Department gives to its staff on informing claimants who may be eligible that their travel costs might be paid for them.

The Department is able to reimburse travel costs for jobseekers via the Flexible Support Fund (FSF) taking into account their particular circumstances. FSF is a budget managed by District Managers to supplement mainstream services and tailor support to the needs of individuals and the local area.

All work coaches have access to the Flexible Support Fund Guidance which explains when a payment must or must not be made. The “Overview and General Information” states:

“Work Coaches have discretion to award reasonable travel costs to claimants, taking into account their particular circumstances, who are asked to attend the Jobcentre outside of their minimum requirement of attendance”.

“Chapter 9: Payment of Travel expenses for work coaches” states:

In line with DWP policy financial assistance with travel costs to and from the Jobcentre must be given to eligible individuals:

• when attending pre-arranged (mandatory or non-mandatory) labour market interviews at the Jobcentre NB: this generally excludes JSA claimants attending their Initial Work Search Interview (IWSI) and normal ‘fortnightly’ Work Search Reviews

Travelling expenses can be refunded:

• for pre-arranged interviews in connection with benefit claims, or attendance that includes a medical examination or work capability assessment
• when a call is made in error at the wrong office or time due to official error or misdirection
• when the customer is redirected to another office, for example, to a screened office
• where the customer called into an office uninvited in connection with a benefit claim, where the matter could not have been dealt with by another method, for example, by telephone or letter because the customer could not use the telephone, or had difficulty in reading and writing, or needed the help of another person to express themselves

All payments for travel expenses are subject to the production of appropriate evidence of travel.