Jobcentres to remain open across Great Britain during England’s four-week national lockdown

Updated jobcentre guidance advises that work coaches will continue to support claimants online and over the phone but also in person if people need extra support and are unable to interact on the phone or digitally

The DWP has updated its jobcentre guidance to confirm that jobcentres will remain open across Great Britain during England’s four-week lockdown.

Publishing new guidance today, that covers the period of England’s new national coronavirus restrictions from 5 November 2020 until 2 December 2020, the DWP advises that in England -

• jobcentres will remain open, with work coaches continuing to support claimants online, over the phone, and in the jobcentre where they need extra support and are unable to interact on the phone or digitally;
• face-to-face assessments for disability benefits remain suspended; and
• work coaches will continue to deliver employment support programmes including Kickstart and JETS by phone or through online channels.

In addition, the DWP confirms that the guidance also applies in Scotland and Wales -

• jobcentres in Scotland will remain open no matter which of the five-level tiered restriction system the jobcentre’s area falls under; and
• in Wales the guidance has applied in the final days of the two-week national firebreak, that has come to an end today, and jobcentres will continue to remain open.

NB - in Northern Ireland, advice from the Department for Communities remains that all appointments at local Jobs & Benefits offices and all face-to-face assessments have been postponed since 16 March 2020.

Commenting on the updated guidance, the DWP says -

'Jobcentres have remained open throughout this pandemic to provide vital support and essential services to those whom we cannot help remotely.These new measures will ensure that we can continue this support while keeping our colleagues and customers safe, following the latest government and Public Health England guidance.'

For more information, see Jobcentre guidance on new national COVID-19 restrictions from gov.uk