Welcome to the September edition of in touch

Each month, in touch keeps you up to date with the latest news from Jobcentre Plus.

In this edition you will find information about the latest on crisis loans and the changes that are being made to improve customer service. Read about the new benefit fraud campaign which starts this month and don't forget there's just one month to go until the launch of the Employment and Support Allowance.

If you have a suggestion for a future edition, or any feedback, please let us know.

Latest news

Crisis loans

By improving customer access to crisis loans in the last few years with the introduction of telephone applications, we’ve seen a huge increase in the number of requests – a 96% increase between May 06 and May 08.

Application numbers now seem to have reached a monthly plateau of around 220,000 and continue to present us with issues in terms of operational delivery nationally. However, in the last few months there have been real improvements in the delivery of all of our services in places such as Wales, Scotland and the North East, where there are now very few issues.

Following contingency arrangements that involved people in our contact centres taking calls and the successful completion of additional pilots, we can now proceed to introducing end-to-end decision making into our Benefit Delivery Centres where the contingency arrangements applied.

To minimise any impact on customer service the changes will be introduced gradually between September 2008 and June 2009. This will see an increase in the number of staff involved in this work from 800 to 1,500 by the end of the project, and we are confident that this will help us manage delivery at the new volume levels. Contact numbers for customers will remain the same as now.

We’ll keep you up to date with progress through future editions of in touch.

Telephony issues

Some of you will be aware of the problems some of our customers experienced during July when trying to access Jobcentre Plus via the telephone. All Jobcentre Plus telephony services were affected, with the majority of incidents occurring with calls made to our Contact Centres. Inevitably these problems affected not only our customers, but also colleagues from within our partner organisations. The problems were resolved and we are now operating in line with previous good levels of performance, with over 90% of calls being successfully answered.

Stakeholder news

A round-up of business information for stakeholders

Employment and Support Allowance starts next month

Employment and Support Allowance will be introduced on 27 October 2008. The new allowance is a key phase in the Government’s welfare reform programme and represents a major step forward in the way that DWP engages with customers who are unable to work because of an illness or disability.

Employment and Support Allowance will replace Incapacity Benefit and Income Support paid on incapacity grounds for new customers. It will provide personalised support towards employment where that is achievable and ongoing financial support where work is not an option.

The new allowance builds on the success of the ‘Pathways to Work’ programme, which has helped more than 94,000 people into work since October 2003.

A new area on the DWP website provides information about Employment and Support Allowance, including a visual representation of the customer journey through a claim and fact sheets covering the key detail. We will continue to update these pages up to and beyond the launch of Employment and Support Allowance next month.

Communications activity, including advertisements in targeted publications and on selected websites, will continue to raise awareness of the new allowance among advisers and professionals who support customers.

Customer news

A round-up of information of interest to those advising customers

Diffuse mesothelioma – new payment

On 1 October 2008, a new Government scheme will be introduced for people suffering from the asbestos-related disease, diffuse mesothelioma.

If a person is unable to make a claim under the 1979 Pneumoconiosis Act, has not received payment in respect of the disease from an employer, a civil claim or elsewhere and is not entitled to compensation from a Ministry of Defence Scheme, they can claim a one-off lump sum payment.

The scheme covers people whose exposure to asbestos was not as a result of their work as an employee, for example:

• they came into contact with asbestos from a relative (for example, by washing their clothes)
• they were exposed to asbestos in the environment (for example, they lived near a factory using asbestos)
• their exposure to asbestos was while self-employed, or
• their exposure cannot be specified but it occurred in the United Kingdom.

Claims should be made as soon as possible after 1 October 2008. There will be no time limits for claims from sufferers made during the first year of the scheme but after that time, claims must be received within 12 months of the date of diagnosis.

People will be asked to submit medical evidence with their claim showing that they are suffering from diffuse mesothelioma caused by exposure to asbestos. A further medical examination will not be required. The aim is to make the payment within six weeks of receiving the claim form.

If the sufferer has died, their dependents may be able to claim. The claim form must be received within 12 months of the date of death.

For further information contact Barrow Industrial Injuries Benefit Delivery Centre on 0800 279 2322

Disability premiums

Lone parents who currently receive a disability premium as well as Income Support may be affected by proposed changes to Income Support for lone parents from November 2008. These lone parents have received a letter explaining the changes and that they may need to make a claim for Incapacity Benefit if they have a health condition or disability, that prevents them from working, before the new Employment Support Allowance is introduced in October 2008.

If they are eligible for Incapacity Benefit and do not make a claim before 27 October 2008, they may receive less money on Employment Support Allowance than they did before.

If any lone parent is unsure about what they need to do, they are asked to contact their nearest Benefit Delivery Centre. The telephone number can be found on their benefit award notice.

New benefit fraud campaign launched 23 September

Potential benefit thieves will be left in no doubt about the risk of being caught when the Department for Work and Pensions launched its new benefit fraud campaign ‘We’re closing in’ on 23 September.

This time, the campaign places more emphasis on the risk of being caught by demonstrating the various methods of detection, and providing the facts to prove it. The new approach aims to build on the success of the ‘No Ifs, No Buts’ campaign, which had a big impact on raising awareness of benefit fraud.

‘We’re closing in’ began on 23 September in 30 local authority areas and will be supported by local press and radio advertising, outdoor posters, washroom panels in pubs, football grounds and shopping malls and advertising on cash machines. Launch events in key towns across the chosen local authority areas will get the campaign underway.

On 3 November, ‘We’re closing in’ goes nationwide with national TV, press and PR activity and in early 2009 it hots up again when a further 10 local authority areas join in.

You can find out more about 'We're closing in' on our new campaign website www.dwp.gov.uk/benefit-thieves.

LEPs create job openings for people with disabilities

Employers continue to recruit through Local Employment Partnerships (LEPs) despite the economic downturn.

LEPs are all about opening up more opportunities for people often overlooked in the labour market, including those with disabilities and health conditions.

A great example is Mark Farrell, who works at ASDA in Harrogate.

Mark, 34, has learning disabilities. He had been unemployed for 12 years before he found that job thanks to a LEP agreement between ASDA and Jobcentre Plus.

Mark had been suffering from anxiety and depression, and his learning disabilities and lack of confidence had always let him down in job interviews. His adviser at Jobcentre Plus realised Mark needed specialist support and arranged for him to attend a work preparation programme that specialises in helping people with learning disabilities.

The programme gave him interview practice which helped build up his confidence. With encouragement from his Jobcentre Plus adviser and his sister, he applied for a job with ASDA. Having committed to LEPs, ASDA were receptive to recruiting people such as Mark, who are often overlooked in the labour market.

As part of their commitment ASDA gave Mark a mentor to support him through the selection process, explaining the exercises and making sure he understood them. He was successful and, after a five-day work trial, was offered a permanent job. Finding work has transformed his life.

Hear Mark’s story in his own words in this video case study.

About in touch

 in touch aims to provide you with short summaries of the latest news, progress of our modernisation programme, forthcoming changes to benefit rules, updates on performance, as well as news on important policy issues which affect our shared customers.  in touch complements Touchbase, the quarterly publication from DWP, by providing a monthly focus on Jobcentre Plus related issues.

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