Includes Update on Universal Credit Increased conditionality and Help to Work Scheme

1. Jobcentre Plus Update Alison Matthews - Partnership Manager June 2014 Includes Update on Universal Credit Increased conditionality and Help to Work Scheme Digital Jobcentres Welfare Reform – what’s coming up Latest Unemployment Stats

2. Universal Credit – What’s happened so far Universal Credit started to be introduced in stages from April 2013 The early introduction of Universal Credit began on 29 April 2013 in selected areas within the local authorities of Oldham, Tameside, Warrington and Wigan. Ashton-under-Lyne became the first Jobcentre to accept claims for Universal Credit on 29 April 2013. Oldham, Warrington and Wigan Jobcentres began taking new claims in July 2013. Gradual national rollout started in October 2013. Jobcentres in Hammersmith, Rugby, Inverness, Harrogate, Bath and Shotton began taking new claims on a rollout programme between October 2013 and spring 2014. To summarise there are currently 10 areas of the country where Universal Credit is now live 1

3. Universal Credit – What’s next In summer 2014, DWP will progressively start to take claims for Universal Credit from couples and, in the autumn 2014 , from families. We will also expand the rollout to cover more of the North West of England. In total 90 jobcentres, or 1 in 8 jobcentres in Britain, will offer the full Universal Credit once the north west expansion is completed. We plan to make Universal Credit available in each part of Great Britain during 2016. For the Black Country District , it is not yet known when Universal Credit will go live in any of our 4 Local Authority boroughs

4. Increased Conditionality The new Claimant Commitment product is now live in all Jobcentres nationally for live Universal Credit claims, all new claims to Jobseekers Allowance and Work Programme completers This sees jobseekers agree the steps they will take each week to give them the best chance of getting into work. This could include registering and looking for work through Universal Jobmatch or a recruitment agency. It builds on help already in place and clearly spells out the consequences of failing to do what jobseekers have promised – or risk losing their benefits. Full time focus for benefit claimants should be on finding work Weekly contact in Jobcentres for some claimants to offer additional support with jobseeking activities 3

5. Help to Work Scheme From 28.4.2014, new intensive measures to help the long-term unemployed into work were introduced as the government continues its push toward full employment. The new scheme – Help to Work – will give Jobcentre staff a new range of options to support the hardest to help get off benefits and into work. Those who fail to participate in the scheme will face potential sanctions that could see them lose their benefits for a period of time. Following a DWP tendering exercise, the Community Work Placements element of this scheme will be delivered throughout the Black Country and Birmingham & Solihull Districts by SEETEC 4

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7. Digital Jobcentres • Over the next 3-6 months, Jobcentres throughout the Black Country District will be going digital. • Implementation will commence this month in Halesowen and West Bromwich Jobcentre’s and is expected to have rolled out across the Black Country Jobcentre network by Autumn 2014. • We will be installing more computers, which will be available for jobseekers to make greater use of internet services. •  Our aim is to provide an easy to access service so that jobseekers can manage their jobsearch activities, such as making job and benefit applications online, checking emails and updating their CVs to post on Universal Jobmatch. •  We will be offering free WiFi access, which means visitors to Jobcentres, including our partners and employers can also access the web using their own laptops and mobile devices.

8. Welfare Reform – What’s Coming Waiting Days Measure ESA and JSA • The Budget Statement of 19 March 2014 confirmed that waiting days will increase from three to seven for new claims to Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). • DWP will introduce this change across Great Britain including those claimants claiming ESA abroad and in Northern Ireland from 27 October 2014. • Rules that already exempt claimants from serving waiting days in certain circumstances will stay the same. Increased Lone Parent conditionality • Changes are being introduced to strengthen conditionality for Lone Parents who are entitled to Income Support (IS) solely on the basis of being a Lone Parent; or claim Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and are in the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG). • Advisers can now engage flexibly with lone parents, earlier and more frequently, where this is needed, tailoring the support offered to the needs of the individual. • ESA (WRAG) lone parents and IS lone parents with a youngest child aged 3 and over can also be mandated to undertake some work related activity (WRA).

9. Latest Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) Statistics • Based on May 2014 data, the current JSA register size for the 4 Walsall borough Jobcentres is 7638 • 12 months ago in May 2013, the JSA register size was 10374 (26% decrease in 12 months) • This matches the wider Black Country District where unemployment has fallen by 11517 in the last 12 months (decrease of 24.5% in 12 months) ANY QUESTIONS? Protect