Edition no. 106

Addressing future skills needs, encouraging small local businesses to expand and helping local economies meet local needs, are all integral to ensuring continued growth in employment.

November will see the launch of two campaigns intended to help businesses grow and generate new jobs. UKTI’s new Exporting is GREAT roadshow will tour the country helping businesses explore opportunities to export. DWP’s See Potential campaign will look at the retail sector’s approach to diverse recruitment which has helped it to become the UK’s largest private sector employer, contributing 11% to UK economic output in 2014.

This issue also features the first in a series of articles by guest authors. The Recruitment and Employment Confederation discusses how entry level jobs can help people get a foot on the job ladder.

As always, we welcome your feedback so please send us your comments and thoughts about Touchbase. corporate.stakeholders@dwp.gsi.gov.uk and encourage your colleagues to subscribe to Touchbase. 

This edition of Touchbase is also available on GOV.UK.

Fit for Work employer roadshows launched nationwide

According to accountancy firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers (2013), sickness absence costs UK businesses £29billion per year.

The free occupational health service, Fit for Work, held its first local employer event in Newcastle on Monday 2 November. Attendees at the event included representatives from Newcastle City Council and the Big Lottery Fund.

Stephanie Raper, practice manager from Victoria Medical Practice in Hartlepool, said: “With the rising cost of sickness absence, this proactive approach is a very positive step towards tackling this. The Fit for Work road show was informative and we will certainly be utilising the service for employed patients.”

Eleven more events will take place across England and Wales in the coming weeks.

To sign up for future events, visit the website.

Malcolm Phillips (ACAS), David Frost CBE (Chairman of the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Enterprise Partnership) and Chris Rhodes (Chief Nursing Officer for Fit for Work) at the first Fit for Work employer roadshow in Newcastle

Universal Credit opportunities for jobseekers and businesses

On 9 November DWP launched a range of new materials explaining Universal Credit and the benefits it brings for both jobseekers and businesses.

The materials include case studies, videos, and top tips for jobseekers and employers. Updates are being posted regularly through national twitter feeds @dwp and @dwppressoffice.

Activity can be supported by retweeting messages or adding your own tweets using the hashtag #universalcredit and #jobsmart. Find more details at the Employer Hub.

Cabinet Office holds the first ever Job Hack

Cabinet Office held the UK’s first ever Job Hack on 19 October, as part of the Government’s initiatives to tackle youth unemployment.

The event brought together 70 talented developers, careers advisers, government officials and young people. They were challenged to come up with new ideas to help young people get better access to training and employment opportunities.

Some impressive ideas and new applications were created at the event, the best of which will be presented to the Government’s Earn or Learn Taskforce. The day's achievements were also shared on social media using #JobHack.

Universal Jobmatch and SAFERjobs

Exporting is GREAT – create employment

'Disability Confident' – new award for Local Authorities 

A new Disability Confident award has just been launched to recognise Local Authorities that demonstrate best practice as an employer.

The award is part of the annual Municipal Journal awards and is sponsored by Remploy. Nominations are open from now until 5 February 2016. The winner will be announced in June 2016.

Disability Confident is a DWP campaign that works with employers to ensure that people with disabilities have equal opportunities to work and progress their careers.

State Pension available to claim online

State Pension Online allows people approaching State Pension age to claim their State Pension online.

From December 2015 this service will also be used to take claims for new State Pension.

All UK residents can claim their pension online. It only takes 20 minutes and is available 24/7. It is a secure and easy to use service with online help provided along the way.

To claim State Pension visit GOV.UK.

Supporting homeless jobseekers – a call to action

Last year the domestic emergency rules were changed to allow people who had recently been made homeless time out from actively seeking work to focus on finding suitable accommodation.

Work Coaches can only consider applying this easement if they know about the claimant’s housing status.

If you are supporting homeless people, or those at risk, please encourage claimants to declare their housing status. This will enable Work Coaches to discuss with claimants the range of flexibilities available when agreeing a Claimant Commitment.

Changes to DWP postal addresses

DWP is continuing to modernise how it receives and processes post resulting in new postal addresses. From 10 November 2015, DLA65+ is changing its address to:

Disability Living Allowance DLA65+
Mail Handling Site A
Wolverhampton
WV98 2AH

All external partners, including local authorities, must use the new Business Reply Envelopes which can be obtained in the usual way.

For more information, including a full list of office addresses, visit GOV.UK.

Retail Value – the benefits of entry level jobs

by the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC)

Many people find themselves facing a Catch 22 situation as they try to get a foot on the employment ladder. Employers often prefer to take on people who have work experience, yet jobseekers cannot get work experience unless they are offered a job. REC explores how entry level jobs in the retail sector might offer one solution.

Read more

News from across government about skills, work support and support for people claiming benefits.

11 November  Employment rate reaches new record high

9 November  Universal Credit now available in nearly 70% of all jobcentres

7 November  Benefit cap: tens of thousands move into work or off Housing Benefit

6 November  Older women see a dramatic rise in employment rate over past 30 years

5 November  Technical and professional education revolution continues

5 November  Benefit fraud and error at record low

23 October  Minister: MPs must help 'open doors' for disabled jobseekers

23 October  New National Minimum Wage offenders named and shamed, October 2015

22 October  Too many apprenticeships not meeting the needs of young people, employers or the economy

21 October  Workie says: ‘Don’t ignore the Workplace Pension’

14 October  Number of UK businesses continues to grow

13 October  New measures to protect UK workers

11 October  'State Pension top up’ scheme starts 12 October 2015