Welcome to the March edition of in touch

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

In this month's edition you can find out more about the extension of benefit changes for lone parents, as well as the increase in Jobcentre Plus support at local Children’s Centres. There’s also news on the introduction of drug advisers and coordinators to identify and tackle problem drug users, the introduction of a dedicated phone line for Social Fund claim form requests, and the development of the Directgov website and the Jobcentre Plus information that can be found there.

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

Latest News

Social Fund claims form line

A new customer phone line dedicated to Social Fund claim form requests was introduced last month.

At times of peak demand, people wanting to use the 0845 number to make enquiries about the Social Fund can experience delays. As many of these calls are simply to request claim forms, Jobcentre Plus has set up a dedicated Claim Form Line that customers will access through their normal 0845 telephone number.

Customers who simply wish to obtain a claim form for Community Care Grants, Budgeting Loans, Sure Start Maternity Grants and Funeral Payments will have their call directed to a team who will deal with their request.

Having this specific team in place will allow the telephone teams in the Benefit Delivery Centres (BDCs) to concentrate on more in-depth customer queries, and will provide capacity to answer more enquiries.

There will be a rolling programme of migration from Social Fund sites. It will begin with Milton Keynes and roll out across other BDCs in time for the period of peak demand next November.

Customer News

More support through Children’s Centres

Unemployed parents are now able to access more Jobcentre Plus support through their local Children’s Centre. Alongside the current services, parents who are not working will have access to advisers and work-focused services such as training and volunteering opportunities, brokered through Children’s Centres.

The enhanced Jobcentre Plus presence includes: work-focused skills training to build parents’ basic skills, confidence and employability; and opportunities for volunteering, vocational training and work experience. It will be delivered in the family-friendly environment of the Children’s Centre with access to childcare provision.

Jobcentre Plus is already part of the core offer in every Children’s Centre. However to strengthen the role it set up a three-year, £7.8m pilot which started in October 2008. The pilot is running in 30 Children’s Centres across 10 local authorities in England.

For more information on this and other child poverty pilots, visit http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk

Benefit changes for lone parents extended

Benefit changes affecting lone parent customers have been extended. The initial changes, introduced last November, affected most lone parent customers with a youngest child aged 12 or over making a new or repeat claim to Income Support. From March these have been extended to existing lone parent customers with a child aged 14 or over.

Customers who have a health condition are being supported to claim Employment and Support Allowance, while those who are able to work can claim Jobseeker’s Allowance and will receive advice and support to help them in their job search and to find suitable childcare. Existing lone parent customers with a child aged 12 or over will begin to lose their Income Support from the beginning of July.

Jobcentre Plus will write to customers eight weeks before they are due to lose their Income Support, inviting them to an interview to discuss the changes and to get help to make a new claim.

These changes will not apply to lone parents entitled to Income Support for other reasons. For example, if they:

• have children who are entitled to the middle-rate or highest-rate care component of Disability Living Allowance
• get Carer's Allowance
• are fostering and have a foster child living with them.

This list is not exhaustive and lone parents are asked to speak to an adviser if they are unsure about whether the changes apply to them.

Phase two of the changes commences on 26 October 2009 for new and repeat customers with a youngest child aged 10 or over. Existing customers with a youngest child aged 11 or over will be invited to an interview from 30 November 2009, and from 12 April 2010 the same will apply to customers with a youngest child aged 10 or over.

Drug coordinators to tackle problem drug users

To support recently announced Government proposals for a new approach to problem drug users, Jobcentre Plus will be introducing drug coordinators in England from April.

The recent Welfare Reform White Paper contained announcements on how, from April, Jobcentre Plus – in England only – will be introducing measures aimed at identifying drug misusers and directing them to agencies able to support them in combating their drug problem.

Seventy-three new posts have been funded by the Department of Health until 2010/11, with the majority of coordinators set to be in post by April. There will be a Jobcentre Plus drugs coordinator in each English region who will be responsible for working at a strategic and operational level with inter-agency and joint strategic partnerships.

There will be a Jobcentre Plus coordinator in each district in England. Their role will be to: define a clear set of relationships between individuals, teams and key agencies in the drugs field; develop and encourage relationships with external agencies; and raise awareness of Jobcentre Plus and its programmes and services.

The coordinators will work with local drug partnerships to map provision and produce a local action plan for effectively joined up drug and employment interventions. They will also ensure that personal advisers in Jobcentre Plus are fully equipped to identify and refer customers to the appropriate local provision by providing information, coaching and support and by organising specialist training and awareness sessions.

Referral to a Drug Treatment Provider

Alongside the introduction of drug coordinators, a new initiative will provide a ‘front end’ process for Jobcentre Plus advisers to identify and refer customers with drug problems to a discussion with a Drug Treatment Provider, with a view to accessing treatment.

Currently, advisers have access to the successful progress2work, aimed at helping recovering drug misusers returning to the labour market after treatment. From April, the main focus of the new initiative will be users of certain categories of problem drugs – heroin and crack cocaine.

For this group, advisers will establish if they are a problem drug user and if this is a barrier to them finding employment. If it is, and they are not already on a drug treatment programme, the referral will be made to a discussion with a drug treatment provider.

Advisers will be encouraged to persuade customers to participate voluntarily, but where customers fail to attend the appointment the adviser will have the power to mandate and apply a sanction for non-compliance.

This is the first step of a new regime that will be fully piloted in 2010 (subject to Parliamentary approval), when these customers will be required to engage with a personalised programme of support, during which time they will receive a Treatment Allowance. In return for this allowance they will be expected to engage with and undertake the actions in their rehabilitation plan.

Online access to Jobcentre Plus services

Jobcentre Plus is changing its online services to allow customers to access even more information, goods and services online, in response to detailed customer research.

In 2004 the Government launched Directgov to make public service information available in one place. The existing Jobcentre Plus website will close in spring 2010 and all information from that site will move to Directgov or Business Link, the government’s site for businesses and employers. In the meantime all Jobcentre Plus information (including the jobsearch) will be available on both the Directgov and Jobcentre Plus sites.

Directgov already provides information on benefits, including an interactive benefits adviser. Customers can search for jobs and get help with interview techniques, job applications and CVs, and can even apply for benefits online.

Directgov is available on the internet, on satellite and cable TV, and on some mobile phones. Customers without access to the internet at home can get free access in libraries.

Changes to pay periods

Changes to pay periods and pay week-ending days, affecting the majority of people in receipt of working age benefits, are set to roll out on 6 April 2009.

By March 2011 changes will have been completed and most customers will receive their payments fortnightly in arrears and on a pay week-ending day linked to their National Insurance number.

From March 09 onwards:

• The customer Information line will offer telephone-based support to those customers who have questions about the changes. The number will be communicated to customers on their mailshot letter.
• Alternative format communications offering information on the changes will be available in 10 languages, Braille, Easy Read and on DVD (In British Sign Language, Subtitles, English and Welsh)

From April 09 onwards:

• Customer system notifications will be mailed to customers, detailing the changes, what it means to them and how to get more information and claim financial support.

Visit www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/paydaychanges for more details.

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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