Benefit claimants need improved
support to help them back into work, says a new report by Citizens
Advice.
Many benefit claimants attend compulsory
meetings intended to support them back into work. But a national
survey of 845 CAB clients, conducted in bureaux and online,
revealed that only a quarter of claimants required to attend
work-focused interviews found them useful, and of those respondents
who wanted help to get a job, just 16 per cent said that they had
been given information about training that would be helpful.
Respondents felt the support offered was not tailored to their
needs, and personal advisers needed greater expertise, and in
particular better understanding of disability and sickness
issues.
One respondent said: “Focus was straight
into looking at available vacancies. The personal circumstances of
my family were not listened to and I found the staff member to be
rude and focused on following a pre arranged script rather than
listen to my queries or questions.”
Another remarked: “I am deaf …. I was
speaking to a Disability Adviser but he was completely clueless
about hearing loss and was unable to assist me or to offer help at
all. He was aware that I could not hear him but continued to
conduct the interview. I left feeling even more depressed than I
already am.”
CAB is recommending that Jobcentre Plus, and
other back-to work support providers, deliver a more personalised,
tailored service that helps people overcome barriers to work, to
enable them to find a suitable job, where appropriate.
Now Richmondshire CAB is using the report,
along with case studies of problems experienced by local clients,
to inform the local Jobcentre/service provider how they can improve
services for local benefit claimants.
CAB Development Officer and Rural Outreach
Caseworker Rachel Hunter said:
“At a time of recession and high unemployment,
more people than ever are turning to the benefits system for
support. We need the Government to deliver the high-quality,
personalised support it has promised to help people back to work.
Back-to-work providers must realise that a tick box approach does
not work, and that they must deal with each person’s individual
needs if they are to help them off benefits and into appropriate
work.”