Source · Select Committees · Work and Pensions Committee
Recommendation 26
26
Accepted
Introduce Jobcentre outreach work as a core service, taking support into local communities.
Recommendation
DWP needs to break Jobcentres out of their four walls. It should make outreach work, with staff taking Jobcentre services into the community and to locations that people trust, a core part of the new service. DWP should include larger-scale outreach work in its pathfinders for the new jobs and careers service. (Recommendation, Paragraph 122)
Government Response Summary
The government accepts the recommendation, developing a Flexible Delivery Network model to bring DWP support into local communities. They are testing mobile delivery via vans, designing a toolkit for community-based delivery, and using a mapping tool to identify further outreach opportunities.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
Accept DWP recognises the value of working collaboratively within communities, operating from a range of locations, to deliver timely, tailored support to customers. We are developing and testing a Flexible Delivery Network model to address economic inactivity by bringing DWP support directly into local communities. We will work with trusted organisations to ensure we provide the right support at the right time in the right place for our customers. To support and inform this we are: • Testing mobile delivery via vans in 3 geographies – Greater Manchester (Bolton), North East Scotland (Aviemore and Nairn), North and mid Wales. These provide advice and support and extend our reach. Collaboration with local partners, employers and leaders informs the van schedule to ensure that optimal locations are selected. The focus is on those customers who face challenges accessing traditional Jobcentres. We plan to iterate and expand the service from winter 2025. • Designing a flexible toolkit for community-based delivery to professionalise our outreach, incorporating signage, products, and digital enablers to support customer self-service for implementation in locally agreed geographies to meet customer needs. • Using the mapping tool which provides data on outreach partnerships across the Jobcentre network to identify further opportunities, such as semi-permanent presences in leisure centres and shopping centres, to provide employment and recruitment support through local and national partnerships.