Government’s priority is to ensure that everyone who is out of work has the support they need to find a job. As part of this commitment, the Government have made up to £5 billion available since November 2008 to offer substantial new support to jobseekers, and particularly young people, during the recession.
In April 2009, we launched an enhanced offer to all jobseekers at day one of their claim which includes targeted group sessions in jobsearch techniques, access to Local Employment Partnership vacancies and access to additional financial support towards the costs associated with finding work. We have also quadrupled funding to the Rapid Response Service which provides advice and support to people facing redundancy.
When they reach six months of unemployment, all jobseekers are now able to access a substantial new package of support including recruitment subsidies, work-focused training places, volunteering opportunities and support to become self-employed.
Government have also introduced substantial new support to help young people during the recession, particularly through the Future Jobs Fund, where Lancashire county council have already been successful in a bid to create up to 503 Future Jobs Fund jobs in the local area which will provide valuable opportunities for people in the area.
The support will be further enhanced from 25 January with the introduction of the Young Person’s Guarantee, which guarantees all 18 to 24-year-olds who reach six months of unemployment access to a job, training or work experience. From April 2010, young people will be required to take up one of the places on offer before they complete 10 months on benefit.
Young people will also be given access to a named Jobcentre Plus Personal Adviser at the start of their claim and have more time with an adviser throughout their claim. And we are offering many more young people day one access to the substantial support that is normally available at six months.
In addition, 18 to 24-year-olds in Morecambe and Lunesdale who have been claiming jobseeker’s allowance for six months have access to the New Deal for Young People, and customers aged 25 and over who have been unemployed for 18 months have access to the New Deal 25 Plus programme. The new Flexible New Deal, which builds on the success of the existing New Deal programmes and offers more personalised and flexible support, will be introduced in Morecambe and Lunesdale from April 2010.