in touch – February 2010
Each month, in touch keeps you up to date with the latest news from Jobcentre Plus.
This month, there’s important news for most customers who use mobile phones to make claims.
The Young Person’s Guarantee is now available to help 18 to 24-year-old jobseekers.
After nearly 60 years, the doctor’s sick note is about to be become a thing of the past. We have details of this important change to how fitness for work is assessed.
Finally, we include information on changes to the state retirement age and how people can find out about the potential implications for working age benefits
If you have a suggestion for a future edition, or any feedback, please let us know.
Free calls to DWP 0800 numbers from most mobiles
Six of the largest mobile phone companies have signed agreements with DWP to give customers free mobile calls to the Department’s 0800 claims lines.
Vodafone, T-Mobile, 02, Orange, Virgin Media and Tesco Mobile now allow Jobcentre Plus/DWP customers to make free calls to around 70 numbers which begin with 0800.
These lines are used to make initial claims for Employment and Support Allowance, Jobseeker’s Allowance and applications for crisis loans.
Calls to these numbers are already free from BT landlines and BT mobile phones.
This agreement covers about 90 per cent of the mobile phone market.
Around one in six customers uses a mobile to call DWP, paying between 10p and 40p a minute for 0800 calls.
The Department is hoping to reach similar agreements with the remaining, smaller mobile service providers.
Young Person’s Guarantee launched
The Prime Minister launched the Young Person’s Guarantee (YPG) last month.
Every 18 to 24-year who has been claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance for six months is now guaranteed the offer of a job, training or work experience.
Personal advisers will work with customers to create a tailored back-to-work plan to support young people into work.
Under the Guarantee young people will receive:
- help to get an existing job with tailored training where appropriate
- the opportunity to apply for new jobs created through the Future Jobs Fund
- work-focused training
- a place on a Community Task Force
- help with self-employment
- internships for graduates and non-graduates.
YPG, part of the wider Backing Young Britain to address youth unemployment, is available in England, Wales and Scotland.
If you would like to help young people in your community you can apply for funding to the Future Jobs Fund or sign-up to Backing Young Britain.
Further details are on the DWP website.
‘Sick note’ becomes the ‘fit note’
A new Statement of Fitness for Work (‘fit note’) is being launched later this year by DWP to replace the current Doctor’s Statement (‘sick note’).
Doctor’s Statements are issued to patients, for Statutory Sickness Pay and benefit purposes, on the eight day of absence from work.
Introduced over 60 years ago, they reflect a time when an employee was expected to do a specific job rather than today’s more flexible workplace.
Changing to the fit note will mean:
- The GP will be able to say whether they think their patient is ‘not fit for work’ or ‘may be fit for work’.
- The GP can add advice for the patient and employer on how simple changes in the workplace could allow an early return to work.
- There will be fewer kinds of medical statement forms issued by GPs.
In March 2008, Dame Carol Black’s Review, “Working for a healthier tomorrow”, proposed replacing the sick note with a fit note to switch the focus to what people can do instead of what they cannot.
The Government accepted this recommendation and is planning to implement the changes in England, Scotland and Wales from 6 April 2010.
State Pension changes – how these affect working age customers
From 6 April 2010, the age at which women may receive their State Pension will gradually increase to 65, bringing it into line with men.
The change will be phased in over the next ten years. This means the age at which customers can apply for Pension Credit and some working age benefits is also increasing.
To help people identify whether they are affected by the changes and any action they need to take, please refer to:
- The State Pensions Reform Briefing Pack available at www.dwp.gov.uk/adviser
- The State Pension Profiler on www.direct.gov.uk/pensions allows people to input personal details to find out how the changes may affect them.
- Carers UK is producing a booklet which contains initial information on the new Carer’s Credit which replaces Home Responsibilities Protection.
To learn more about working in partnership with DWP to help communicate these changes to customers visit www.dwp.gov.uk/pensionsreform
About in touch
in touch aims to provide you with short summaries of the latest news, progress of our modernisation programme, forthcoming changes to benefit rules, updates on performance, as well as news on important policy issues which affect our shared customers. in touchcomplements Touchbase, the quarterly publication from DWP, by providing a monthly focus on Jobcentre Plus related issues.
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