Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Employment
(): As
part of the Government’s ongoing commitment to support
claimants back into work, DWP is moving at pace this
spring and summer to introduce new Jobcentres, as a
direct response to the pandemic.
On top of the 13,500 new Work Coaches who will be in
place by the end of this financial year, this expansion
of our Jobcentre network will bolster existing
capacity, enabling Work Coaches to provide tailored,
face-to-face support in a Covid-secure environment.
This expansion will drive forward our ambitious £30
billion Plan for Jobs, helping people back into the
Labour Market right across the UK.
During the pandemic, DWP successfully pivoted to a more
multi-channelled approach, offering more digital
support in line with social distancing measures.
However, as restrictions ease, it is vital we adapt our
services and reintroduce face-to-face support, given
that we know how effective this has been for our
claimants in the past.
As the economy recovers, we will review the need for
these temporary sites on an ongoing basis, to ensure we
are continuing to strike the right balance between
providing essential services for claimants and
delivering value for money for the taxpayer.
This is not about reversing previous decisions on the
broader renewal of the DWP estate, rather it is a
temporary measure, in direct response to the pressures
the pandemic has placed on the Labour Market.
These new sites provide a high quality, modern and
digitally enabled environment for both colleagues and
customers. As part of our design requirements, we are
reducing the environmental impact, for example, by
increasing the Energy Performance Certificate rating
across sites. This is something DWP is committed to, as
part of the programme to review and renew our estates.
The expansion programme will itself create a further
1,500 ancillary jobs when the sites open, as well as
construction jobs generated by the work needed to
repurpose the buildings and the supply chain to furnish
them, boosting local economies and providing crucial
support across the country.
The sites being secured are predominantly in major
centres. All new sites meet the planning requirements
for a Jobcentre, which means they are fully accessible
for colleagues and customers, with good transport
links.
Leases have already been secured on 80 sites. A list of
these sites can be found on gov.uk, and will be
continually updated as and when new site leases are
agreed.
