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Written question asked by Liam Byrne (Labour) on Thursday, 26 April 2012, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 30 April 2012. It was answered by Lord Grayling (Conservative) on Tuesday, 1 May 2012 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Employment Schemes

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department has advised job centres to prioritise new claimants for entry into the Work Programme.
Answer

No. Claimants are referred to the Work Programme at specified times depending on the benefit they are claiming, the duration of their claim and their particular circumstances. These referral points are set out in Jobcentre Plus and Work Programme provider guidance and summarised in the following table.

Claimant group Referral point
JSA claimants aged 18 to 24 Required from nine months into their claim
JSA claimants aged 25 and over Required from 12 months into their claim
JSA claimants facing significant disadvantages in the labour market Required or optional from three months into their claim (depending on claimant's circumstances)
JSA claimants who are prison leavers Required from the first day of a claim to JSA within three months of release from prison
New income related ESA claimants with a prognosis of three or six months Required from date of WCA outcome
All other ESA claimants Optional from date of WCA outcome
Income Support and Incapacity Benefit claimants Optional from benefit entitlement (in England only)
Pension Credit claimants Optional from 12 months from start of benefit claim or from day one if claimant has a health condition

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
106351; 543 c1413-4W
Session
2010-12
Subjects
Employment schemes
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk