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Tue 22-Jul-08 03:33 PM by ken
edited to close up gaps
This is the response I received last week from the following DWP contact
Mark Flounders
Communications Team
Pathways to Work /Lone Parent Obligations Project
Level 3 (East Wing)
Rockingham House
West Street
Sheffield
S1 4ER
0114 240 8952
Until 24th November 2008, a lone parent is exempt from being available to work if they have a child of age 16 or under. From this date, the age restriction will drop to age 12, and then it will drop to age 10 from 26th October 2009 and finally reduce to age 7 from 25th October 2010. There are some exemptions; however, this holds true for most lone parents.
In-Work Discretionary Fund
Following a successful pilot in various areas, from 28 April 2008 lone parents (LPs) will be able to access the In-Work Emergency Discretion Fund (IWEDF) nationally. This will be available to lone parents for the first 26 weeks of employment after being a New Deal/New Deal Plus for Lone Parents participant or been in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits for 26 weeks. The purpose of these payments is to alleviate financial emergencies that may occur during the first 26 weeks of employment and help them to remain in work. Each LP has access to financial assistance up to a maximum of £300 and can access the fund more than once providing that the total does not exceed the £300 limit. Exceptionally a one off payment can be made between £301 and £1000 which would be subject to the approval of a business case.
Work Trials
Work Trials are a trial period in an actual job, for up to 15 working days. Work Trials provide an excellent opportunity for unemployed LPs to prove themselves to an employer without giving up the security of benefit. Both the employer and LP take part without obligation.
Work Trials can help overcome an employer’s doubts about the suitability of a customer who has been unemployed for a long time. It also gives customers the opportunity to confirm for themselves that the job is appropriate before committing themselves to it on a permanent basis.
Work Trials are designed for people who have the motivation and potential to work but may fail at employer interviews. Work Trials are effective for LPs from a range of benefits and backgrounds. Subject to Ministerial agreement it is hoped to deliver an extension to Work trials of up to 6 weeks in October 2008.
In-Work Advisory Support
Lone Parents transferring from benefits to employment may find the transition very difficult. They have a number of additional issues to cope with which may well add to the stress of accommodating such a change.
With early and continued support and guidance LPs should find it easier to cope with the issues they may be faced with and, in turn, improve the chances of them remaining in employment. As they adjust and their confidence grows support and guidance is available to assist them in taking full advantage of any employment opportunities arising. This is known as the In Work Advisory Support (IWAS) and is held with a Lone Parent Adviser (LPA). The LPA should contact the LP approximately one hour per month to offer support, and the meeting can be by phone or face to face.
If employment ends or the employee chooses to leave, they will have new skills that will allow them:
• to be more competitive within the job market and
• an improved chance of finding alternative, suitable employment.
The LPA will explain the benefits and proactively encourage all eligible lone parents to take full advantage of the support and guidance they are able to provide. The LPA will:
• establish a continuing rapport being a dedicated point of contact;
• provide tailored employment related support and guidance;
• assist with issues that threaten a LP’s continued employment or career progression and
• provide advice on alternative employment and benefit entitlement should employment end.
Lone parents who have initial concerns may be persuaded to try the first IWAS session before making a definite decision
Guaranteed Job Interviews (GJI)
From April 2008 Jobcentre Plus aims, where possible, to guarantee a job interview to every lone parent who is looking for and ready for work.
Guaranteed Job Interview builds on the successful work Personal Advisers or Lone Parent Advisers already do with our Lone Parent customers.
Those LPs who are job-ready and looking for work are already regularly identified and assisted through New Deal for Lone Parent (NDLP) scheme. A key component of NDLP includes assisting lone parents into work and helping them to secure job interviews.
Essentially, GJI is about helping those job ready lone parents as we currently do, with an increased emphasis on early identification and matching them with jobs held on the LMS system. This also links directly with our commitments to employers, particularly where Local Employment Partnerships (LEP) agreements have been brokered, as we will have access to LPs that can be submitted quickly to their vacancies.
In addition to those people advisers will identify as being job-ready and able to enter the labour market quickly, GJI may encourage some lone parents to approach offices enquiring about this initiative and how Jobcentre Plus can help them. These LPs should be referred to LPAs who can discuss NDLP, assess their distance from the labour market and then agree the best course of action to help them secure employment.
GJI is not about guaranteeing that Jobcentre Plus can source an interview for LPs with the employer of their choice. Neither is it about vacancies that are “GJI specific”. The focus is firmly about demonstrating our commitment to work with job-ready lone parents, jointly identifying any barriers to employment, developing an agreed Action Plan and working together to help secure interviews with appropriate employers. However in discussion with employers about LEP it may be that they will guarantee interviews for lone parents who meet their specification.
Options and Choices Events
Lone parents are invited to group events that enable them to understand how Jobcentre Plus and our partners can help them prepare to return to work, how the local labour market works to support LPs return to work and to explain their options when their entitlement to IS ceases.
These events will be known as ‘Options and Choices Events’
Jobcentre Plus identifies LPs whose youngest child is approaching age 11 (and additionally, in the transition period, those with a youngest child already aged 11 - 15) and invites to attend a Group Seminar.
These events will:
• Be for 12 to 15 lone parents, held within school hours and term time; and allowing reasonable time for dropping off and picking up children at school;
• Include presentations and discussions led by Jobcentre Plus and, where possible, involving employers and other partners;
• Be held in a professional labour market environment in employer or partner premises or Jobcentres;
At the end of the Options and Choices event, each lone parent will be offered an opportunity to be seen individually, where a Personal Adviser or LPA will work with them to identify a specific course of action. Usually, the outcome is that the LP signs up to NDLP. Through NDLP participation, the lone parent will be able to access the existing NDLP offer alongside these new services.
In Work Credit
In Work Credit (IWC) has been introduced to help more lone parents (all parents in the London Districts) make the transition from welfare into full time work.
IWC is:
• a non-taxable weekly payment of £40 (Non London Districts) and £60 (London Districts only).
• paid for a maximum of 52 weeks
To be eligible for IWC the LP must:
• Have a dependant Child/Children in the Household
• Have been in receipt of either Income Support or Jobseekers Allowance for 52 weeks
• Be moving into work of sixteen hours or more.
• Is not currently in receipt of Return To Work Credit
If any one of the criteria is not met, then IWC cannot be considered for the lone parent.
IWC is available nationally to only lone parents but in London is available to all eligible parents.
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