Get Britain Working
We want to get Britain working. We have set out a number of major welfare to work reforms which aim to fight poverty, support the most vulnerable and help people break the cycle of benefit dependency.
- We are making a transformational reform of the benefit system and introducing Universal Credit, to make work pay.
- We are modernising the way Jobcentre Plus delivers its services – giving more responsibility to Jobcentre Plus advisers to assess claimants’ individual needs and to offer the support they think most appropriate, including access to a number of Get Britain Working measures.
- The Work Programme replaces an array of employment schemes, pilots and projects , giving providers greater freedom to make judgements about how best to support jobseekers who need extra help.
- There is now a greater focus on partnership working – Jobcentre Plus, providers, local authorities, employers, and jobseekers working together to find new solutions to unemployment.
- There is now a focus on results: Jobcentre Plus staff will be more results-focussed, providers will be paid by results and incentivised to support the hardest to help.
- In response to the challenge of youth employment the Youth Contract will provide extra help to young unemployed people to get a job.
- Our mainstream provision is complemented by specialist disability employment programmes including Work Choice, Access to Work, which will continue to provide support for disabled people facing the most complex barriers to getting and keeping a job.
- There are also a number of measures in place to support older people in choosing to work longer.
- None of this will be done in a vacuum. Wider government will create an environment that encourages enterprise and sustained economic growth to help create sustained jobs and businesses.
On this page:
- Get Britain Working – including Get Britain Working measures and the Work Programme
- The Youth Contract – to provide extra help to help young unemployed people to get a job
- Specialist disability employment support – to help disabled people facing the most complex barriers to getting and keeping a job
- Older people and employment – measures to support older people in choosing to work longer
Get Britain Working
In this section:
- Work Clubs
- Work Together
- Work Experience
- New Enterprise Allowance
- Enterprise Clubs
- Sector-based work academies
- Availability of Get Britain Working measures
- Jobseeker’s Allowance full-time training flexibility
- The Work Programme
Work Clubs
Work Clubs are a way of encouraging people who are out of work to share skills and experience.
If you are interested in setting up a Work Club or think you could help support one, you can find practical help and advice on our Work Clubs page. This will tell you what you need to know and who to contact.
Work Together
Work Together is a Great Britain wide initiative that aims to encourage unemployed people to consider volunteering as a way of improving their employment prospects while they are looking for work.
The voluntary and community sector can play a significant role in supporting the delivery of Work Together, both locally and nationally. If you think your organisation could help, you can get information and details on whom to contact in our Work Together leaflet.
- Work Together leaflet (220KB)
(Updated 22 January 2013)
Work Experience
Work Experience helps young people gain the experience they need to secure a job before they become eligible for the Work Programme.
For some young people a lack of understanding of the world of work or simply not being given a chance to prove themselves can prevent them from finding a job. We work with employers to offer 16–24 year old jobseekers the opportunity to overcome these barriers through offering them a Work Experience placement lasting two to eight weeks.
Young people undertaking a Work Experience placement will continue to receive their benefit and continue to look for permanent work. We will cover the costs of travel and childcare if required.
There is also an opportunity for some participants to have their placement extended by up to 4 weeks, where an employer makes an offer to take them onto an Apprenticeship.
We have conducted an equality impact assessment and a privacy impact assessment (PIA) for Work Experience, as announced by the Minister for Employment on the 24 January 2011. The PIA assesses the privacy risks to individuals in the collection, use and disclosure of information.
New Enterprise Allowance
New Enterprise Allowance is available across Great Britain and is designed to help unemployed people who want to start their own business.
We now have organisations who partner us in delivering mentoring support. Referrals to the New Enterprise Allowance mentoring service will be accepted for a two year period to 31 March 2013.
Enterprise Clubs
Enterprise Clubs are a Great Britain wide initiative which aims to support the development of a network of locally-led, community-based support targeted at unemployed people interested in self-employment.
If you are interested in setting up an Enterprise Club or think you could help support one, you can find practical help and advice on our Enterprise Clubs page. This will tell you what you need to know and who to contact.
Sector-based work academies
Sector-based work academies were launched 1 August 2011. These offer pre-employment training, work placements and a guaranteed interview for recipients of Jobseeker’s Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance (work-related activity group), in sectors with high volumes of current local vacancies.
- Sector-based work academies – employer guide (232KB) (updated January 2013)
- Scotlland – sector-based work academies – employer guide (320KB)
Availability of Get Britain Working measures
Jobcentre Plus District Managers have some choice over which measures will be offered in their area based on customer and local labour market characteristics. Therefore not all measures will necessarily be available in all areas.
Jobseeker’s Allowance full-time training flexibility
From 21 November 2011 we have introduced the flexibility which allows a claimant who has been on Jobseeker’s Allowance for six months or more to be referred to full-time training and remain on Jobseeker’s Allowance rather than transferring onto a training allowance. This flexibility only applies to training of up to and including 30 hours a week and which lasts for a maximum of eight weeks.
The Work Programme
The Work Programme provides tailored support for claimants who need more help to undertake active and effective jobseeking. Participants receive support to overcome barriers that prevent them from finding and staying in work. It is delivered by DWP contracted service providers who have been given the freedom to decide how best to support participants while meeting their minimum service delivery standards.
The Youth Contract
In response to the challenge of youth unemployment on the 25 November 2011 the Deputy Prime Minister announced a £1billion Youth Contract to help young unemployed people get a job. The Youth Contract will provide nearly half-a-million new opportunities for young people, including apprenticeships and work experience placements. It also marks a substantial increase in the support and help available to young people through the Work Programme, Jobcentre Plus and sector - based work academies.
Specialist Disability Employment Support
Ensuring equality for disabled people is a key priority for the Coalition Government. Since May 2010, the Government has set out an ambitious programme of employment support to ensure that people disadvantaged in the labour market will get the help they need to find and keep jobs. Our aim is that Government programmes should support more disabled people than ever before into employment.
- Employment programmes for disabled people
- “Disability employment support: fulfilling potential”, the Government’s response to the independent review of specialist disability programmes.
Older people and employment
The Government is committed to improving the labour market position of older people. A number of measures are in place to support older people in choosing to work longer.
The Government is also phasing out the default retirement age (DRA) from April 2011.
