Summary

Flexible New Deal

Summary: 

This is a scheme where local authorities can provide advice. It applies nationally, rolling out in two phases:

• Phase one from April 2009.
• Phase two from April 2010.

What is it and who is it aimed at?

The scheme will be mandatory for all jobseekers who have been claiming jobseeker’s allowance for at least 12 months.

Core policy elements of the scheme and funding information

Flexible New Deal aims to help jobseekers find a job, or get training or work experience to help them find a job. It is delivered for Jobcentre Plus by contracted organisations called ‘providers’.

Providers are professional organisations that will offer jobseekers support that is tailored to meet their needs. They will ensure that a jobseeker’s time with them is a positive and helpful one. As part of Flexible New Deal, providers will:

• Discuss what help jobseekers need to find work.
• Draw up an action plan with jobseekers to improve their chances of getting a job.
• Treat jobseekers fairly.

As part of Flexible New Deal, jobseekers will do work experience for four weeks. Jobseekers may also get training and other support to help them find a job. The aim is that jobseekers will leave Flexible New Deal because they have a job.

Flexible New Deal can last for a year. During this time, jobseekers continue to be customers of Jobcentre Plus. They:

• Must attend the Jobcentre Plus every two weeks to continue receive jobseeker's allowance.
• Should report any change of circumstances to Jobcentre Plus.
• Can claim the cost of travel to job interviews.

When did the scheme start?

Phase one districts from April 2009:

• Ayrshire, Dumfries, Galloway and Inverclyde
• Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire
• Edinburgh, Lothian and Borders
• Birmingham and Solihull
• Black Country
• Cambridgeshire and Suffolk
• Norfolk
• Lincolnshire and Rutland
• Central London
• Lambeth, Southwark and Wandsworth
• Coventry and Warwickshire
• The Marches
• Staffordshire
• Derbyshire
• South Yorkshire
• Devon and Cornwall
• Greater Manchester Central
• Greater Manchester East and West
• Kent
• Surrey and Sussex
• Leicestershire and Northamptonshire
• Nottinghamshire
• North and Mid Wales
• South East Wales
• North East Yorkshire and the Humber
• Tees Valley
• South Wales Valleys
• South West Wales

Phase two districts from April 2010:

• Highland, Islands, Clyde Coast and Grampian
• Forth Valley, Fife and Tayside
• Glasgow
• Northumbria
• South Tyne and Wear Valley
• Cumbria and Lancashire
• Cheshire, Halton and Warrington
• Merseyside
• West Yorkshire
• Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire
• Essex
• Dorset and Somerset
• Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Swindon
• West of England
• City and East London
• North and North East London
• South London
• West London

Eligibility

Mandatory for all jobseekers who have been claiming jobseeker’s allowance for at least 12 months. In some cases jobseekers will be eligible after six months on jobseeker's allowance, at the discretion of a Jobcentre Plus adviser.

Further information

See the DWP website.

To find our more about Flexible New Deal, customers should contact their Jobcentre Plus Office.

For specific inquiries about this scheme, email the Department for Work and Pensions on enquiries@dwp.gsi.gov.uk. If you have a general query about the four Real Help Now areas of support, or the Real Help Now pages on info4local, use the 'tell us' form (see link below).

Go back to the Real Help Now jobs and training page

---

• Departments: 

• Department for Work and Pensions

• Subjects: 

• Consumers, business and industry; 
• Economic development; 
• Economics and finance; 
• Employment, jobs and careers; 
• Government and public administration; 
• Information and communication; 
• Regional policy; 
• Workplace training and development

• Regions: 

• National

Tell us

---

• Tell a colleague about this related link
• Report a broken link
• Share this information
  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • Stumble upon
  • Redd it
  • Facebook

---