Written question asked by Lord Hylton (Crossbench) on Tuesday, 19 July 2016, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 2 August 2016. It was answered by Lord Freud (Conservative) on Thursday, 28 July 2016 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Jobcentre Plus: Training

Question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they plan to ensure that Jobcentre staff and Jobcentre Plus advisers understand fully, and respond effectively to, mental health problems.

Answer: The Department for Work and Pensions supports its staff in developing the skills required to identify and effectively support claimants with mental health conditions. A number of learning products such as ‘Introduction to Working with People with a Mental Health Condition’ and ‘Supporting Customers with a Vulnerability’ have been specifically developed to build capability for Jobcentre staff. Jobcentre staff also promote “Disability Confident” which is an initiative that includes working with employers to show that employing disabled people, including those with mental health conditions, is good for the individual, business and society.

Secondary information