Work Focused Interviews for Partners

What’s new?

• From 12 April, Work Focused Interviews for Partners are being introduced in Jobcentre Plus offices. They will continue to be introduced in each new office as it joins the Jobcentre Plus network. The initiative will be similar to the requirement that lone parents and mainstream customers must go to a work focused interview.
• Partners of benefit customers will be required to attend an interview if the benefit customer has been continuously entitled to a specified benefit for at least 26 weeks and an increase of benefit is payable for the partner(s) at that time. The benefits are:
  • Jobseeker’s Allowance (income-based);
  • Income Support;
  • Incapacity Benefit; and
  • Severe Disablement Allowance.

Why are partners important?

• Tackling the problem of the ‘workless household’ (where neither the main person receiving benefit nor their partner works), is a key government objective. Reducing the number of workless households will help the government to meet its commitments to halve the level of child poverty by 2010, and eradicate it by 2020.
• The introduction of Work Focused Interviews for Partners will help to deal with the problems associated with worklessness.

What will happen at the interview?

• The aim of the interview is to encourage partners to take further steps towards labour market participation and will concentrate on job potential and provide the partner with access to a wide range of help and information on work, benefits and services. The interview will help the partner to:
  • discuss working part time or full time, or increase the number of hours they already work;
  • build upon their skills and qualities; and
  • identify and discuss any barriers to work.
    
    
• Although mandatory, partners are only required to attend one interview. Any action they choose to take after the interview will be voluntary but it is anticipated that that the most likely outcome of the interview will be for the partner to join the New Deal for Partners, which is being enhanced for April 2004.
• If a partner does not attend or take part in the interview without a good reason the customer’s benefit may be sanctioned. There is a system in place to protect those partners for whom a work focused interview is not appropriate at that time.
• The legislative changes required to introduce Work Focused Interviews for Partners have been approved by Parliament and the necessary regulations were made in July 2003. If you would like see them, you can visit www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/si/si2003/20031886.htm

Communicating with our Customers

• From October 2003, we have given customers who are claiming for a partner a leaflet to tell them about work focused interviews. We have also added explanatory paragraphs to existing forms, leaflets and entitlement letters.
• In March 2004, we will be writing to customers who are claiming for a partner. This is to raise awareness and highlight the support available through work focused interviews. The letter will also explain the responsibilities of the partner to attend, and participate in the interview. The letter will include a New Deal for Partners leaflet, which will inform customers about the help and support that is available through the enhanced New Deal for Partners.

Working with External Organisations

• We anticipate that external organisations (for example, advice agencies) will receive requests for information about the introduction of Work Focused Interviews for Partners. To support these organisations, we have produced a detailed question and answer brief that will help them deal with any queries or concerns customers or partners may have.
• We will update this page regularly and are hoping to include examples of good news stories once Work Focused Interviews for Partners are introduced.