As rules put in place during the pandemic start to relax, other procedures are returning. In line with this, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced that it is bringing back face-to-face interviews for people claiming New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA).
During the coronavirus pandemic, claimants had been given the option of phone interviews. Now, as the country begins to return to some semblance of normality, DWP has updated its guidance to state that people making new claims for New Style JSA will now need to attend an in-person interview.
The update comes despite the recent rise in Covid cases. Nottinghamshire hospital trust has reintroduced the need to wear masks in its sites after the number of patients positive for Covid increased by about 250 per cent in a month. East Midlands Ambulance Service is under "extreme pressure" and is currently on the highest level of alert. Experts say the rise in recent weeks is mainly driven by the BA.4 and BA.5 variants of Omicron.
