On 31 October 2020, the Prime Minister announced that
the Government will be introducing new national COVID-19 measures
in England to protect the NHS and save lives.
This means from 5 November 2020 until 2 December 2020 in England,
the following updated jobcentre guidance will apply to customers,
and will ensure essential support is provided whilst keeping
colleagues and customers safe.
- Jobcentres will remain open, as they have throughout this
pandemic, to provide essential services and support to those whom
we cannot help in any other way.
- We will ensure that this support continues to be delivered in
line with the latest government and PHE guidance – such as
maintaining social distancing and rigorous cleaning regimes -
keeping our colleagues and customers safe.
- Customers will continue to be supported by Work Coaches
online and over the phone, with jobcentres remaining open to help
those who need extra support and are unable to interact with us
on the phone or digitally.
- Our Work Coaches will continue to deliver employment support
programmes such as Kickstart and JETS, by phone or through online
channels.
- Face-to-face assessments for disability benefits remain
suspended.
- If you think you might be entitled to a health and disability
benefit, you should contact us as soon as possible to make a
claim in the usual way.
- For existing customers, payments will continue as normal.
Anyone who has a change in their needs should contact us
immediately so we can ensure they are receiving the correct level
of support.
On 3 November 2020, we also confirmed that the suspension of the
Minimum Income Floor - for self-employed customers claiming
Universal Credit in England, Scotland, and Wales - has been
extended to the end of April 2021. This means that self-employed
customers on Universal Credit will receive a payment that
reflects their earnings at this difficult time.
For Scotland:
On 2 November, the Scottish Government introduced a new five
level tiered system. The following will therefore apply to
jobcentres and customers in Scotland:
Levels 0, 1 and 2 guidance:
- Customers will continue to be supported by Work Coaches
online and over the phone, with jobcentres remaining open to help
those who need extra support and are unable to interact with us
on the phone or digitally.
- All jobcentres to remain open - maintaining social distancing
and regular desk and communal space cleaning in line with current
Covid-19 guidance.
- If you think you might be entitled to a health and disability
benefit you should contact us as soon as possible to make a claim
in the usual way.
- For existing customers, payments will continue as normal.
Anyone who has a change in their needs should contact us
immediately so we can ensure they are receiving the correct level
of support.
Levels 3 and 4:
- For these levels, the jobcentre guidance in place for the new
national restrictions in England until 2 December 2020 (above)
will apply.
For Wales:
The Welsh Government introduced the two week ‘firebreak’
restrictions in Wales on 26 October 2020 that will last until 9
November 2020. The jobcentre guidance in place for the new
national restrictions in England until 2 December 2020 (above)
will apply during this period.
After 9 November 2020, the Welsh Government announced an easing
of restrictions. From then, the following will apply to
jobcentres and customers in Wales:
- All jobcentres to remain open - maintaining social distancing
and regular desk and communal space cleaning in line with current
Covid-19 guidance.
- Customers will continue to be supported by Work Coaches
online and over the phone, with jobcentres remaining open to help
those who need extra support and are unable to interact with us
on the phone or digitally.
For Northern Ireland:
Please contact the Department for Communities for more
information on measures introduced in Northern Ireland - 028 9082
9000.
A DWP spokesperson said:
Jobcentres have remained open throughout this pandemic to
provide vital support and essential services to those whom we
cannot help remotely.
These new measures will ensure that we can continue this
support while keeping our colleagues and customers safe,
following the latest Government and PHE guidance.
