Welcome to the first edition of 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. Some articles will include links to pages on our website where you can find more detailed information. in touch complements Touchbase, the quarterly publication from DWP, by providing a monthly focus on Jobcentre Plus related issues.

We want to work more closely with you to ensure we take full account of your views and the needs of our shared customers, as we move forward in planning and developing better ways to support more people back into work. We are committed to keeping you in touch with the latest developments and look to you to both challenge and help us ensure our services will meet customer needs.

We would like your feedback on how useful you consider in touch to be and what sort of things you would like to see included in future editions. If you know of others who would like to receive in touch, please let us know.

Every working day, Jobcentre Plus:

• receives over 17,000 jobs from employers
• conducts 45,000 adviser interviews
• processes over 15,000 new benefit claims
• takes over 66,000 calls every week day to contact centres
• receives over 297,000 visits to our website
• receives over 862,000 job searches on our website
• prosecutes 40 people for benefit fraud, and
• helps around 6,500 Jobcentre Plus customers move into work.

Key Updates

July saw a number of significant announcements that demonstrate how the Government intends to progress its commitment to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life through work. Welfare Reform, building world class skills and new approaches to service delivery, will have a major impact on the lives of our mutual customers.

In Work, Better Off

DWP has announced that 'our goal is nothing less than full employment in our generation' as part of a major reform of work and welfare support. The 'In Work, Better off Green Paper launched a 15 week consultation on proposals which could see a major change to how Government delivers employment, training and skills services. A key element of the Green Paper are Local Employment Partnerships which will offer job opportunities for 250,000 people.

You can find out more about the proposals contained in the Green Paper on the DWP internet site – the site also explains how you can contribute to the consultation.

Jobcentre Plus performance – a record of improvement

We are committed to ensuring our customers’ experience of our service is at the highest standard. Our latest performance figures continue to show steady improvements.

The number of working days it takes to process customer applications for the three main benefits are measured by Average Actual Clearance times or AACT. For June, the AACT for:

• Jobseekers Allowance stood at 12 days Year to Date (YTD) against a target of 12 days. This compares with 15.1 days for April 2006, when the target was first introduced.
• Income Support stood at 9.6 days YTD against a target of 11 days. This compares with 12.7 days in April 2006, when the target was first introduced
• Incapacity Benefit stood at 14.4 days YTD against an 18 day target. This compares with 17.3 days for April 2006, when the target was first introduced

Of course, the increased speed with which we are processing benefits is not at the expense of the quality of service we deliver. We’ve seen a healthy result for our Customer Service Target for performance between April and June, finishing nearly 7% above a target level of 84%.

Find out more about our targets online at the Jobcentre Plus website.

Latest news

A round-up of business information for stakeholders

Telephony report paves way for improvement to customer service

You’ve given us feedback on the problems some of our customers experience with our telephone service. Our investment in additional resources for customers with communication difficulties was shown to be justified by a DWP report, published in July. The report (The use of Jobcentre Plus Telephony and Face to Face First Contact Services by Customers with Specific Communication Barriers) suggests that more can still be done and points the way forward for further planned action.

We are committed to providing equal access to quality services for all our customers and will use this report to strengthen existing provisions and to modify our modernisation programme, due for completion in 2008.

We are taking forward recommendations in the report and we are grateful for the contribution to this plan that the concurrently published Citizens Advice report, “Citizens Advice report on Jobcentre Plus service delivery” adds, by focusing specifically on the concerns of those customers whose problems lead them to approach CA for help.

You can read the full report and a summary of the key findings of the DWP report with the actions already taken to address some of the issues on the DWP website The full report is also available in hard copy from Paul Noakes, Room 4-26, the Adelphi, 1-11 John Adam Street, London WC2N 6HT.

Benefit Delivery Centres – on target for 2008

Plans to create a nationwide network of Benefit Delivery Centres across the UK by March 2008, are on target with over 50 Centres now open.

Since the opening of the first Benefit Delivery Centre in Wellingborough last year, Jobcentre Plus has been closely monitoring progress to ensure the network meets customer needs. Benefit Delivery Centres were created to provide customers with telephone access to a flexible network of benefits experts, with the aim of speeding up the process. However, for those who are not able to use the telephone, alternatives are available. Find out the different ways to contact a Benefit Delivery Centre.

Working together with Customer Representative Groups

Jobcentre Plus has set up a national forum of customer representative groups. The forum meets every two months and is the primary mechanism through which Jobcentre Plus and key customer groups focus on the Jobcentre Plus benefit delivery system. This includes sharing information and tackling issues of concern.

Current members include: Child Poverty Action Group, CAB, Disability Alliance, Local Government Association, MIND, National Association of Welfare Rights Advisors, One Parent Families, RNIB, RNID, Social Security Advisory Committee and the TUC.

Find out more about how we work with our stakeholders.

Customer news

A round up of information of interest to those advising customers

0800 Contact Centre number - a new way to claim benefits

Following customer feedback, a new national 0800 number has been introduced, which is free to call from BT landlines and will speed up the claims process. In most cases, customers will need to have only one conversation with an adviser to make their benefit claim, so benefits will be received more quickly.

The new national phone number is: 0800 055 6688 (0800 023 4888 textphone).

Lines are open from 8am-6pm, Monday to Friday. Customers who use mobile phones can inform Contact Centre staff when they phone and a call back can be arranged. Customers who want face-to-face help filling in a claims form call can still visit their local Jobcentre Plus office where help is available.

Lone Parents - Changes to Work Focused interviews

The rules have changed on the frequency of worked focused interviews for lone parents on Income Support. From 30th April 2007, lone parents

• with children aged between 5 -13 years will now have interviews every six months.
• with children age 0-4 will remain on annual interviews after the first year throughout 2007.

Work focused interviews provide personalised support for parents to help them identify sustainable employment opportunities, options for child care and training, including participation on New Deal for Lone Parents. The aim is to lift them and their children out of poverty through work.

The Government is consulting on reducing the current 16 year age limit of youngest child, at which a lone parent is no longer entitled to claim Income Support. Future editions of in touch will provide updates on any policy decisions taken following the consultation

Find out more about the In Work, Better Off consultation.

Later opening hours for Jobcentres and Benefit Delivery Centres

As of the end of June, all Jobcentres open at 10.00am on Wednesdays. This will allow for a weekly communications meeting to ensure that all staff can provide customers with accurate and up-to-date information.

Benefit Delivery Centres will also adopt Wednesday deferred opening, however, Contact Centre opening hours are unaffected.

Visit our website for details of how to contact Jobcentre Plus

Top Parents – a new competition

Many lone parents aspire to the quality of life that work can bring for their children and themselves. But the uncertainties and obstacles can seem insurmountable.

Everyday Heroes is a new competition which celebrates the achievements of ordinary lone parents who have balanced the needs of family and work. It aims to support peoples' aspirations by showing how others have found their own solutions to common problems. More information about the campaign will be available from September on the Jobcentre Plus website.

Basic Skills and English for speakers of other languages

Jobcentre Plus customers in England who feel they need to develop basic skills to find work may be able to receive a training allowance or training premium and get help with travel and child care costs if they take up full time learning.

The Employability Programme is suitable for customers with literacy, numeracy and language needs at level 1. Find out more about the programme at the Jobcentre Plus website.

This scheme is funded and delivered by the Learning and Skills Council for Jobcentre Plus customers.

Keeping in touch

We’d like to continue keeping you up to date with the latest from Jobcentre Plus. If you’re not already on our in touch distribution list, or would like to add someone else, then subscribe now.

If you have any comments or suggestions about in touch then send an email to the Editor (please include your details and which organisation you work for).

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