1. What will Jobcentre Plus services look like in the future?
Work, Benefits and Skills: the role of local government – Breakout session
19 January 2011

2. The policy intent Ministers have said they want:
More flexibility for Jobcentre Plus and local decision making
More local engagement …especially through measures like Work Clubs, Work Together, Work Experience and New Enterprise Allowance
Receipt of benefits for those able to work is conditional on their willingness to work ……with focus on jobsearch for those who can …..supported by a new sanctions regime
Work Programme - an integrated package of support providing personalised help supporting a wide range of customers – from Jobseeker’s Allowance recipients who have been out of work for some time, to customers who may previously have been receiving incapacity benefits for many years.
It’s all about getting Britain working……….

3. What has happened so far?
We have launched
Work Clubs
Work Together
And have announced
Work Experience
New Enterprise Allowance
Service Academies

4. How will the service that Jobcentre Plus delivers change?
Still some detailed design decisions to be made but we will see…
More flexibility for Jobcentre Plus in how things are delivered with less prescription from the centre
Opportunities for District Managers to shape the nature and level of support that is available in their patch
A focus on delivering outcomes not processes
But in a financially constrained world….
There will be less provision so hard choices are going to have to be made
Accountability will sit locally

5. And will the ‘ask’ of customers change?
A stronger commitment up-front as to what activities customers will engage in – across all benefits
Expecting customers to meet those commitments
Changing the sanctions regime to push for engagement with the support on offer

6. More Flexible Jobcentre Plus Support – Key Features
Delivery Environment
Performance Framework changed
Focus on outputs rather than inputs and process
More flexibility in use of funding
Drawing on lessons from Flexibility Pilots

7. More Flexible Jobcentre Plus Support – Key Features
District Level
Opportunities for closer working with partners on mix and shape of back to work support
Opportunities for joint working
Greater use of non contracted provision

8. More Flexible Jobcentre Plus Support – Key Features
Individual level support
Increased focus on diagnosis at the New Claim
PA discretion to tailor support to match the customer
Method content and frequency of customer contact at PA discretion