More than 120,000 Universal Credit claimants could be entitled to additional support ahead of a new pilot scheme that some 90 jobcentres across England and central Scotland are participating in. However, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has clarified not every jobcentre participating in a new pilot scheme rollout, which begins at the end of March, will be testing all three elements involved.
The DWP said claimants will benefit from more face-to-face time with a work coach - possibly 10 meetings over a two-week period - allowing them to access opportunities to increase their earnings, whether that is developing their skills, progressing in their current sector, or by starting a new role. New claimant commitments will be tailored to individual circumstances and will consider caring responsibilities and any health conditions.
New regulations were introduced last month which brought an increase to the Administrative Earnings Threshold (AET) which means that more Universal Credit claimants will be moved from the ‘Light Touch’ group to the ‘Intensive Work Search’ group. In a written response to Labour’s shadow secretary of state for work and pensions, Jonathan Ashworth MP, DWP Minister for Employment Guy Opperman MP explained that the first phase of the pilot roll-out was completed on February 27, with 42 jobcentres joining the initial four proof of concept sites, Daily Record reports.
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He added: “As the roll-out progresses, a further 44 jobcentres are due to go live by the 27th March bringing the total to 90 jobcentres participating in the pilot, either testing the enhanced daily support only; or the enhanced daily support and the rewards scheme; or testing the rewards scheme only.”
He also said that more details of which pilot measure each of the participating jobcentres are testing will be published in due course.
Full list of jobcentres taking part in pilot scheme
Once the roll-out has been completed the following jobcentres will be participating in the pilot:
Scotland
- Barrhead
- Campbeltown
- Castlemilk
- Drumchapel
- Glasgow City Central
- Govan
- Kirkintilloch
- Laurieston
- Paisley
- Partick (POC)
- Renfrew
- Shettleston
- Springburn
England
- Aldershot
- Ashton-Under-Lyme (Tameside)
- Bath
- Bexhill
- Bognor Regis
- Borden
- Bradford Eastbrook Court
- Bradford Westfield House
- Bristol Broadwalk Shopping Centre
- Camberley
- Castleford
- Cheetham Hill
- Chichester
- Chippenham
- Coalville (POC)
- Corby
- Cosham
- Crawley Forest Gate
- Crawley (POC)
- Daventry
- Dewsbury
- Didsbury
- Eastbourne
- Eccles
- Epsom
- Frome
- Gloucester
- Gosport
- Guildford
- Guiseley
- Halifax
- Hastings
- Havant
- Haywards Heath
- Hemsworth
- Hinckley
- Horsham
- Huddersfield
- Keighley
- Kettering
- Leicester Charles Street
- Leicester Wellington Street
- Lewes
- Littlehampton
- Loughborough
- Market Harborough
- Melton Mowbray
- Minehead
- Morley
- Newhaven
- Newlands
- Newport Isle of Wight
- Northampton
- Park Place - Leeds
- Pontefract (POC)
- Poole
- Pudsey
- Rushden
- Rusholme
- Seacroft
- Shirehampton
- Southern House - Leeds
- Spen Valley
- Staines
- Stockport
- Stretford
- Swindon
- Todmorden
- Wakefield
- Wellingborough
- Weston Super Mare
- Weybridge
- Weymouth
- Woking
- Worthing
- Wythenshawe
- Yeovil
At the time of the announcement, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Mel Stride MP said: “Evidence shows that the longer a person is out of work the harder it is for them to return.
"A claimant’s likelihood of securing employment declines after 13 weeks, so we will focus this support on those who remain unemployed or with low earnings after 13 and 26-weeks of claiming Universal Credit.”
Who will be affected by the threshold change?
The new AET is the equivalent of:
- an individual working 15 hours per week (£617 in an assessment period)
- a couple working 24 hours per week between them, at the adult National Living Wage rate (£988 in an assessment period)
People impacted by the change will be contacted with more details through their Universal Credit journal.
Claimants who will not be included in the pilot are those:
- Awaiting a Work Capability Assessment
- Required to undertake less than 20 hours a week of work search activity
- Who are Gainfully Self-Employed
- Who have no work related requirements
- With an easement in place
- On a full-time provision offer
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