Jobcentre vans are set to be stationed outside football matches, mosques and retail parks in areas with high unemployment rates as part of an initiative to reduce joblessness. These mobile jobcentres are being trialled as an “inclusive and accessible” method to encourage employment, says the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Bolton Wanderers FC’s match day is one of the recent locations where a DWP van has been spotted. The Greater Manchester town is among several areas with unemployment rates higher than the national average where these vans are being tested.
Mosques, retail parks and community centres have also been targeted by the mobile jobcentres. The vans are currently touring Flintshire, Denbighshire and Wrexham in North Wales, and another will soon be launched in Scotland covering Moray and the Highlands, according to the DWP.
Employment Minister Alison McGovern said that the Government aims to “see everyone, in every corner of the country, become better off” by offering the opportunity of a “good job”.
She praised the Bolton mobile jobcentre during her visit to a children’s centre on Monday, saying: “This mobile jobcentre is a perfect example of an inclusive and accessible DWP solution that ensures no one misses out on the job support they deserve.”
The Wirral South MP continued: “Getting more people back into work is a key part of our Plan for Change to deliver economic growth, create better opportunities and put more money into the pockets of working people.”
This statement comes as ministers aim to reduce the number of working-age individuals who are unemployed in an effort to decrease the benefits bill. Government figures indicate that approximately 2.8 million people are currently jobless due to long-term illness, a significant increase from two million prior to the pandemic.
In addition to initiatives designed to encourage more people to seek employment, such as jobcentre vans, it is believed that ministers may be contemplating stricter conditions for benefit payments.
