(2) if he will make it his policy to (a) permit telephone or postal signing on and (b) provide assistance towards travel expenses to allow claimants to sign on in person where local Jobcentre Plus offices have closed and claimants do not live near another office.
The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
Letter from Mel Groves, dated 16 June 2008:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions asking if he will review arrangements for travel expenses for clients where no local Jobcentre Plus office exists; and if he will make a statement; and if he will make it his policy to (a) permit telephone or postal signing on and (b) provide assistance towards travel expenses to allow claimants to sign on in person where local Jobcentre Plus offices have closed and claimants do not live near another office. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to Ms Strathie as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus. I am replying in her absence as Acting Chief Executive.
There are circumstances in which it is unreasonable to expect people to attend the Jobcentre and where reimbursement of travel expenses is appropriate.
Where it is unreasonable to expect someone to attend their nearest Jobcentre Plus office, we have long-standing arrangements that allow people to maintain their claim by post. These arrangements apply:
if the customer lives more than one hour (door to door) by public transport from the nearest office;
if attendance means being away from home in excess of four hours;
if the customer has a mental or physical disability that restricts mobility; and
in other exceptional circumstances for example, the customer would have to use a form of transport they would not ordinarily be expected to use on a regular basis, i.e. an inter-city train, ferry or plane.
Personal Adviser interviews for customers claiming Jobseekers Allowance are nearly always timed to coincide with regular jobsearch review appointments, so additional costs are not incurred for attending. We do pay travel expenses if a personal adviser appointment is:
in an office other than their normal office of attendance and they incur additional expenses for attending; or
in their normal office of attendance, but not on their normal day of attendance.
For customers claiming benefits other than Jobseekers Allowance, travel expenses are reimbursed for pre-arranged interviews, medical services examinations, work-focused interviews, new deal interviews and other work-related events.
These arrangements ensure people are only required to attend the Jobcentre where it is reasonable to expect them to do so and travel costs are reimbursed in appropriate circumstances. I therefore have no plans to review these existing arrangements.
I hope this is helpful.