Employment and benefits support

Employment and benefits support

If you are affected by coronavirus or its effect on the economy, there is a wide range of support available.

These pages provide information about the changes the government has brought in to support people who are already claiming benefits, need to claim benefits, or are at risk of losing their job as a result of coronavirus. Use the links at the top of this page to find the benefits information you need.

You do not need to attend the jobcentre unless we ask you to do so. If you need to contact us the quickest way to do this is online or by phone. If you need to attend a jobcentre, they are open and one of our colleagues will be able to assist you. Please wear a face covering when entering a jobcentre.

These pages will continue to be updated. Please check here regularly for updates on the arrangements the Department for Work and Pensions is making to support those who are affected by coronavirus.

For general government advice about coronavirus see Coronavirus: what you need to do

For health information and advice see the NHS pages on coronavirus
https://www.understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk/employment-and-benefits-support/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMImbPeksfc6wIVDuh3Ch1TTg4xEAMYASAAEgJQWPD_BwE

Whilst the DWP and all Jobcentre staff are institutionally hostile to claimants, some of the info at:

https://jobhelp.campaign.gov.uk/

Coronavirus: Getting people back into work
This briefing provides information on the measures that are being put in place to get people back in to work
https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8965/

Supporting jobs
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/rishis-plan-for-jobs-will-help-britain-bounce-back


Might be of help, noting:

Claimants on UC get an endless stream of mass Digital Nudges/Spam ("digital interventions") reminding them of the 'employment support' available https://thepoorsideof.life/2020/08/27/dwp-nudging-claimants-into-looking-for-non-existent-jobs-we-need-to-see-an-end-to-expensive-school-uniform-policies/

and

"I [ @theresecoffey ] am conscious that a lot of this will be a light-touch element of claimant commitment. It is not our intention particularly to go out actively seeking to impose sanctions or similar, and I expect if there are any appliedat all,it would be very rare. That is my expectation
https://committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence/759/default/ (pdf)
Via https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/164/work-and-pensions-committee/publications/
https://mrfrankzola.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/dwp-universal-credit-spotlights-on-first-commitments-by-phone-and-work-search-reviews.pdf


As Jobcentres are now working on a 'digital by default' basis (email, sms, phone and UC account) most of the direct work they
do to 'support' claimants is redundant, as it is offered by other websites, platforms and services. A core goal of UC is that claimants engage in 'self-help' and the Benefit Sanctions regime is there to be used like a Cattle Prod to electrocute the non-compliant