Jobcentre staff to rise by 6,000

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/7748638.stm

Version 0 of 1.

Six thousand more frontline staff will be put into Jobcentre Plus offices next year, MPs have been told.

There will also be a moratorium on Jobcentre Plus closures, Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell said.

Tory shadow Chris Grayling said that was "farcical" as an office a week had been closed since January, but only three were due to be closed next year.

It comes as Jobseekers' Allowance claims rise - unemployment reached 1.82 million, an 11-year high in September.

Mr Purnell said higher levels of unemployment meant more investment was needed and extra money announced in the chancellor's pre-Budget report on Monday, meant they could invest in helping with CV writing, job searches, personal advisers and support with interview techniques and childcare.

Rapid response

He said efficiency savings meant staff had been reduced by 31,000 but productivity overall boosted by 12% - by saving money in "back office processing" and investing in front line staff.

"But we need to recognise that in the current economic circumstances we need to invest more in our frontline services, so we're today announcing a moratorium on Jobcentre Plus closures and I can also confirm that the PBR will mean 6,000 more frontline staff in place in Jobcentre Plus next year."

Unemployment is set to rise sharply and this government has no idea how to deal with it Chris GraylingConservatives

He said money for a rapid response service - to help companies facing 20 or more redundancies - had been doubled to help people retrain and find more work.

He added:"We will not leave on the scrap heap those who find it most difficult in these tough times, as previous Tory governments did."

But his Tory shadow Mr Grayling said jobs were being axed at a rate of 2,000 a day - adding: "Small wonder that the DWP needs more money to cope with the challenge."

He said the moratorium on closures in England, Scotland and Wales came too late.

Reopen offices

He said the government had closed 492 Jobcentres since 2002 and one a week since unemployment started rising in January.

"Guess how many they were planning to close next year? Three. Some moratorium. They have already nearly finished the closure programme."

He added: "Unemployment is set to rise sharply and this government has no idea how to deal with it."

Mr Purnell later said 25 Jobcentre Plus offices would be affected by the moratorium and accused the Conservatives of being the "do nothing party" and having "nothing to offer people".

For the Liberal Democrats, Paul Rowen welcomed the moratorium on Jobcentre closures, despite there being "fewer planned for next year".

He asked Mr Purnell: "In view of that, and in view of rising unemployment in certain areas has he got any plans to reopen closed jobcentres particularly in rural areas or in areas where there are employment hotspots?"

He also asked that the extra staff be used to ensure the rising number of Jobseekers' Allowance claims were processed quickly.

Mr Purnell said JSA claims were being processed within the target thanks to staff working overtime and weekends.

He also said the government would "provide the services that people need" but said some Jobcentre Plus services were now done through GP and children's centres and other community centres.