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Jobcentre Plus: Manpower

Volume 495: debated on Wednesday 8 July 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the ratio of jobseeker’s allowance claimants to members of frontline staff in Jobcentre Plus was (a) in the UK, (b) in each region and (c) in each Jobcentre Plus district on the latest date for which information is available; and if she will make a statement. (269536)

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff engaged in what types of work were employed by Jobcentre Plus in each month since January 2007. (271695)

The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the right hon. Member with the information requested.

Letter from Ruth Owen:

The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking how many staff engaged in what types of work were employed by Jobcentre Plus in each month since January 2007. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to Mel Groves as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus. As Mel Groves is currently on annual leave, I am replying in his absence.

The tables below show the number of staff against a range of activities for each month from January 2007 up to February 2009. Functions in the customer service operations part of Jobcentre Plus are standard activities and each month Jobcentre Plus captures how many full-time equivalents are deployed on each of these activities. In addition to staff deployed on standard activities, there are also around 2,500 people in Directorates who support Jobcentre Plus operations. People in these roles undertake a wide variety of activities and are recorded as Other Business Support.

2007

January

February

March

Jobcentre Plus Activities

69,766

69,181

67,751

Income Support (IS) New Claims Processing

1,691

1,667

1,645

IS Claims Maintenance

3,749

3,788

3,691

Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) New Claims Processing

3,483

3,431

3,379

JSA Claims Maintenance

2,118

2,132

2,057

Incapacity Benefit (IB) New Claims Processing

1,332

1,348

1,339

IB Claims Maintenance

2,998

3,015

2,947

Benefit Telephony Team

3,145

3,152

3,069

Social Fund Activities

2,975

2,943

2,887

Benefit Management

389

390

380

Other Benefit Processing and Maintenance Activities

10,174

9,898

9,537

Provide Fraud Investigation Service

2,865

2,816

2,750

Provide Customer Compliance Service

875

870

866

Job Seeker Direct

886

906

809

Employer Vacancy Handling

1,454

1,428

1,402

Job Enquiry Activities

59

59

61

3rd Party Provision Management (non European Social Fund—ESF)

244

240

234

3rd Party Provision Management (ESF)

131

135

132

Job Search Review

4,578

4,511

4,407

Disability Services

374

378

359

Employment Zones Initiatives

36

36

35

Personal Adviser Activities (includes Management and Support)

12,107

12,083

11,947

New Deal for Disabled People

92

82

72

Provide Fraud and Error Risk Management

320

320

313

Business Support Activities

8,925

8,902

8,876

Other Business Support

4,766

4,651

4,557

20072008

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

January

February

March

JCP Activities

67,562

66,903

67,100

67,391

67,241

67,050

66,944

67,083

67,005

66,951

66,846

66,378

IS—New Claims

1,592

1,550

1,544

1,536

1,504

1,480

1,441

1,433

1,439

1,408

1,387

1,377

IS Claims Maintenance

2,690

2,653

2,666

2,564

2,534

2,526

2,514

2,552

2,513

2,473

2,532

2,501

JSA New Claims Processing

1,698

1,700

1,708

1,694

1,666

1,655

1,654

1,606

1,571

1,546

1,546

1,558

JSA Claims Maintenance

1,509

1,495

1,526

1,548

1,563

1,580

1,550

1,543

1,567

1,560

1,560

1,564

Benefit Telephony Team

2,420

2,507

2,515

2,631

3,005

3,058

3,156

3,310

3,361

3,418

3,412

3,416

IB New Claims Processing

1,074

1,048

1,049

1,054

1,020

1,002

989

996

987

966

958

959

Incapacity Benefit Claims Maintenance

2,426

2,344

2,350

2,359

2,344

2,341

2,322

2,308

2,298

2,293

2,279

2,251

Debt Referrals Activities

481

504

493

504

500

600

602

605

582

585

578

550

Social Fund Activities

2,908

2,925

3,001

3,358

3,157

3,358

3,345

3,239

3,255

3,221

3,205

3,111

Benefit Management

479

477

476

473

495

494

489

484

484

493

484

487

Other Benefit Processing and Maintenance Activities

14,469

14,316

14,136

13,938

13,668

13,414

13,323

13,288

13,256

13,236

13,167

12,972

Provide Fraud Investigation Service

2,783

2,740

2,743

2,736

2,726

2,723

2,716

2,713

2,692

2,682

2,698

2,697

Provide Customer Compliance Service

879

875

893

896

893

897

901

910

920

918

916

916

Job Seeker Direct

761

722

718

588

664

536

529

606

603

597

598

563

National Sales Team

144

151

148

148

150

159

173

174

173

173

175

166

Employer Vacancy Handling

1,226

1,182

1,206

1,280

1,238

1,163

1,188

1,241

1,223

1,267

1,289

1,320

Job Enquiry Activities

148

152

147

144

138

122

128

119

113

116

112

107

3rd Party Provision Management (non ESF)

234

230

229

222

217

219

217

226

228

227

230

227

3rd Party Provision Management (ESF)

136

133

134

140

141

137

137

133

134

127

125

126

Job Search Review

4,613

4,583

4,657

4,797

4,853

4,796

4,755

4,743

4,747

4,800

4,816

4,768

Allowance Payment Processors

814

665

517

448

406

369

317

313

302

292

282

284

Disability Services

86

86

81

87

88

87

86

82

80

77

79

82

Access to Work (includes Management and Support)

274

261

259

257

255

253

256

257

257

256

253

252

Employment Zones Initiatives

27

26

29

31

33

34

35

37

36

42

44

44

Personal Adviser Activities (includes Management and Support)

11,881

11,973

12,235

12,358

12,422

12,516

12,595

12,647

12,699

12,761

12,746

12,695

New Deal for Disabled People

74

71

68

67

59

55

54

50

45

31

29

27

Jobcentre Manager (JCM)

406

442

464

487

506

511

528

538

538

545

552

549

Provide Fraud and Error Risk Management

295

297

290

291

282

286

284

286

285

278

280

288

Business Support Activities

6,844

6,856

6,934

6,900

6,960

6,941

6,933

6,949

6,931

7,067

7,102

7,166

Other Business Support

4,192

3,943

3,882

3,856

3,753

3,738

3,726

3,697

3,686

3,493

3,414

3,355

20082009

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

January

February

JCP Activities

65,979

65,607

66,505

67,308

67,346

66,975

66,733

66,890

67,165

67,941

68,315

IS New Claims Processing

1,350

1,317

1,345

1,337

1,318

1,182

1,140

993

899

795

714

IS Claims Maintenance

2,455

2,463

2,448

2,499

2,472

2,369

2,299

2,239

2,220

2,186

2,124

JSA New Claims Processing

1,548

1,569

1,614

1,618

1,647

1,610

1,657

1,752

1,853

2,254

2,455

JSA Claims Maintenance

1,612

1,601

1,545

1,593

1,601

1,573

1,524

1,558

1,567

1,593

1,609

IB New Claims Processing

967

937

939

910

912

751

719

567

481

394

302

Incapacity Benefit Claims Maintenance

2,218

2,271

2,293

2,376

2,366

2,211

2,187

2,061

2,004

1,942

1,896

ESA New Claims Processing

0

0

0

0

40

474

600

958

1,066

1,101

1,130

ESA—Claims Maintenance

0

0

0

0

15

220

230

306

401

508

614

Social Fund Activities

2,558

2,605

2,667

2,777

2,749

2,731

2,733

2,745

2,757

2,817

2,827

Benefit Telephony Team

3,403

3,406

3,532

3,638

3,698

3,599

3,586

3,550

3,655

3,679

3,720

Debt Referrals Activities

461

435

514

480

455

443

436

435

422

405

396

Other Benefit Processing and Maintenance Activities

8,535

8,400

8,353

8,318

8,280

8,171

8,063

8,012

7,988

7,971

7,841

Benefit Management

480

478

488

495

490

489

500

526

531

541

543

Provide Fraud Investigation Service

2,910

2,841

2,820

2,817

2,799

2,804

2,797

2,781

2,769

2,779

2,790

Provide Customer Compliance Service

911

901

903

902

894

891

885

887

880

854

836

Personal Adviser Activities (includes Management and Support)

12,800

12,882

12,978

13,217

13,287

13,345

13,397

13,444

13,524

13,892

14,015

Employer Vacancy Handling

1,026

1,098

1,197

1,306

1,394

1,457

1,475

1,467

1,438

1,406

1,398

Job Enquiry Activity

110

95

89

86

75

76

73

62

61

64

64

3rd Party Provision Management

235

224

225

228

232

239

240

246

247

243

241

ESF

107

109

112

122

110

116

120

115

113

110

112

Job Search Review

4,665

4,612

4,746

5,067

5,122

5,007

4,881

4,869

4,923

5,037

5,249

Allowance Payment Processors

240

238

238

234

235

235

237

242

233

234

232

Disability Services

83

86

86

87

87

86

83

82

81

81

85

Employment Zones Initiatives

47

48

49

42

37

34

30

29

28

31

31

New Deal for Disabled People

21

20

22

6

5

5

5

4

5

4

4

Customer Service Manager

1,392

1,370

1,380

1,401

1,423

1,428

1,414

1,403

1,429

1,452

1,495

Jobcentre Manager (JCM)

555

559

567

583

587

576

573

568

564

571

572

National Sales Team

133

76

34

43

45

44

47

53

61

62

59

Access to Work (includes Management and Support)

253

252

250

259

267

262

259

261

258

250

243

Contact Centre Agents

5,623

5,463

5,653

5,882

5,720

5,580

5,601

5,758

5,854

5,973

6,019

Provide Fraud and Error Risk Management

2

2

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Business Support Activities

6,585

6,591

6,527

6,569

6,601

6,616

6,579

6,551

6,507

6,360

6,367

Other Business Support

2,697

2,658

2,886

2,419

2,380

2,356

2,365

2,365

2,344

2,353

2,329

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff engaged in what types of work were employed by Jobcentre Plus in each year since 1997. (271696)

The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the right hon. Member with the information requested.

Letter from Ruth Owen:

The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking how many staff engaged in what types of work were employed by Jobcentre Plus (JCP) in each year since 1997. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to Mel Groves as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus. As Mel Groves is currently on annual leave, I am replying in his absence.

The enclosed tables show the average number of staff across each year from April 2003 up to February 2009, against a range of activities. Information is not available prior to April 2003. Functions in the customer service operations part of Jobcentre Plus are standard activities and each month Jobcentre Plus captures how many full-time equivalents are deployed on each of these activities. In addition to staff deployed on these activities, there are also around 2,500 people in Directorates that support Jobcentre Plus operations. People in these roles undertake a wide variety of activities and are recorded as Other Business Support.

You will see in the table a sharp reduction in Personal Adviser numbers between 2004/05 (22,479) and 2005/06 (14,614). You will wish to note that is due to staff involved in Fortnightly Job Reviews being removed from the Personal Adviser count from 2005/06 and subsequently.

JCP activities

2003-04

2004-05

2005-06

IS Claims

2,845

2,311

1,941

IS Load

4,500

4,203

4,059

JSA Claims

2,811

2,433

2,179

JSA Load

2,488

2,184

1,966

IB Claims

1,933

1,603

1,357

IB Load

3,359

3,418

3,157

Social Fund Activities

3,484

3,316

3,367

Other Benefit Processing and Maintenance Activities

7,946

8,493

11,982

Benefit Management

400

Customer Compliance

1,084

Criminal Investigation

2,698

Job Enquiries Activity

1,062

Vacancy Service Manager

720

Counter-Fraud Investigation Service

4,560

4,176

Jobseeker Direct

882

762

882

Jobsearch Review Activity

4,488

Disability Services

420

428

1,024

Employment Zones

31

47

38

Personal Adviser Activities (includes Management and Support)

22,966

22,479

14,614

NDDP

178

Business Support Activities

16,785

16,687

9,952

Other Business Support

1,452

Total

75,010

72,540

68,600

JCP activities

2006-07

2007-08

2008-09

IS New Claims Processing

1,768

1,467

1,120

IS Claims Maintenance

3,700

2,548

2,331

JSA New Claims Processing

3,416

1,626

1,771

JSA Claims Maintenance

1,978

1,540

1,572

Debt Referrals Activities

546

442

IB New Claims Processing

1,282

1,004

712

Incapacity Benefit Claims Maintenance

2,966

2,315

2,155

ESA New Claims Processing

486

ESA-Claims Maintenance

208

Benefit Telephony Team

2,693

3,002

3,570

Social Fund Activities

2,860

3,158

2,711

Benefit Management

454

482

503

Other Benefit Processing and Maintenance Activities

10,003

13,535

8,135

Provide Fraud Investigation Service

1,642

2,708

2,796

Provide Customer Compliance Service

883

897

882

Job Seeker Direct

897

621

National Sales Team

160

59

Employer Vacancy Handling

1,521

1,229

1,427

Job Enquiry Activities

28

128

77

3rd Party Provision Management (non ESF)

283

224

3rd Party Provision Management (ESF)

137

133

3rd Party Provision Management

235

ESF

113

Job Search Review

4,571

4,721

4,901

Allowance Payment Processors

416

235

Disability Services

381

83

84

Access to Work (includes Management and Support)

256

254

Customer Service Agent

5,610

Employment Zones Initiatives

40

35

37

Personal Adviser Activities (includes Management and Support)

11,697

12,401

13,278

New Deal for Disabled People

119

52

9

Customer Service Manager

1,410

Jobcentre Manager (JCM)

503

568

Provide Fraud and Error Risk Management

1,648

285

1

Business Support Activities

9,367

6,932

6,500

Other Business Support

5,090

3,710

2,456

Total

69,425

66,719

66,648