2 Helping customers to meet their
responsibilities
9. Jobcentre Plus has contact with a large number
of people. Around 4.6 million people claim a main working-age
benefit (Jobseeker's Allowance, Income Support or Incapacity Benefits).
Every day, around 16,000 new claims are made and 4,000 people
are helped into work. Employment rates are above 70% in every
region of the country except London (69.4%), but the Government
now aims to get another 1 million people off benefit and into
work, including 300,000 lone parents, increasing the number and
range of customers who advisers will be expected to help. Success
would result in an employment rate of 80% which the country has
not seen before.[18]
In helping people into work, consideration should be given to
the childminding costs incurred by single parents returning to
work and the impact on children.[19]
10. Personal advisers can only assist customers who
attend their interviews. In 2005-06, customers failed to attend
around 1.8 million scheduled interviews, at an estimated cost
of £16 million in lost adviser time.[20]
In some cases people have decided not to take their claim for
benefit further, perhaps because they have found a job. In other
cases people forget to attend. Analysis of the available data
indicates that Incapacity Benefit customers are more likely to
miss interviews than others, suggesting that health factors are
partly the cause. In addition, the National Audit Office's survey
of personal advisers showed that, on average, five customers per
adviser per week arrive late for their appointments, also wasting
adviser time and introducing delays for other customers throughout
the day. Jobcentre Plus does not keep records of customers who
are late.[21]
11. To counter the problem of non-attendance, Jobcentre
Plus has introduced diary support officers to remind customers,
some of whom have chaotic lifestyles, about impending appointments.[22]
Jobcentre Plus is also using more modern methods of reminding
people about appointments such as text messaging, as well as sending
letters about initial appointments. Early indications are
that these measures have already had a small but noticeable impact
on attendance rates.
12. Jobcentre Plus has nearly completed the roll-out
of its network of almost 900 offices. With the closure of some
600 old style and small offices and the relocation of Jobcentre
Plus offices into town centres, some people in rural areas face
longer journeys to attend mandatory interviews and signing on
appointments.[23] When
coupled with other difficulties such as problems with childcare
or infrequent buses, long journeys may lead to missed appointments,
although most jobcentres are within easy access of public transport.
Jobcentre Plus does not currently offer reimbursement for travel
expenses for mandatory interviews for initial claims for benefits.
13. Unemployed people claiming state benefits have
responsibilities as well as rights and benefit payments are conditional
upon claimants meeting these responsibilities. Customers who are
regularly unable to attend their mandatory interviews may find
it difficult to show that they are properly meeting their obligations
to look for work. Some of these people may have mental health
problems, as do around 40% of Incapacity Benefit claimants. There
is some flexibility for advisers to waive interviews or to delay
them where they may not be appropriate in terms of a customer's
medication cycle or general wellbeing.[24]
14. Personal Advisers have discretion as to whether
to accept the reasons given by individuals who do not attend their
interviews. Where Advisers do not accept the reason, or none is
forthcoming, there is a statutory procedure to follow in order
to impose sanctions. The case may be referred to a Sanction Decision
Maker to decide on the basis of the evidence, including from the
customer. If a customer does not attend a new claims interview
for Jobseeker's Allowance or Income Support their claim is disallowed
and they will not start to receive benefits. Existing customers
receive a formal warning and five days to provide a good reason
for missing the interview. If this explanation is not satisfactory,
sanctions can be applied as high as a 20% reduction in benefit
for each missed interview.[25]
Jobcentre Plus reports in 2005-06 there was a total of 154,800
"fail to attend referrals", with sanctions applied in
115,050 cases (74%).[26]
18 C&AG's Report, para 5; Ev 1 Back
19
Qq 80, 81 Back
20
C&AG's Report, para 58; Q 12 Back
21
C&AG's Report, Technical Appendix Two Back
22
Q 12 Back
23
Qq 29-33, 36-39 Back
24
Q 41 Back
25
C&AG's Report, para 54 Back
26
Qq 57-60, Ev 1 Back
|