The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has shared the list of jobcentres across Central Scotland and parts of England that will be taking part in a pilot scheme which could see more than 120,000 Universal Credit claimants receive additional support.
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.
Full list of jobcentres taking part in pilot
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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