Latest news with #JobCentre
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Jobseeker numbers drop by more than 50 in one year
The number of jobseekers without work has dropped by more than 50 in the last year. Statistics published quarterly by Work Support found there were 259 jobseekers without work at the end of March in 2025 - a decrease of eight compared to the previous month and a decrease of 52 compared to March 2024. The number of jobseekers with some work increased by six from February to March 2025, including people in part-time or casual employment. The Job Centre promoted 226 job advertisements in March 2025, while 56 people were on training schemes such as Work2Benefit, Kickstart and placements with the third sector. The government said about 5,000 adults in Guernsey did not work, but the majority were able to support themselves without claiming benefits. More news stories for Guernsey Listen to the latest news for Guernsey Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Kenya signs Crown dependencies recruitment deal More than half of jobless adults not on benefits The charity getting islanders into the workforce States of Guernsey
BBC News
25-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Jobseeker numbers in Guernsey drop by more than 50 in one year
The number of jobseekers without work has dropped by more than 50 in the last published quarterly by Work Support found there were 259 jobseekers without work at the end of March in 2025 - a decrease of eight compared to the previous month and a decrease of 52 compared to March number of jobseekers with some work increased by six from February to March 2025, including people in part-time or casual Job Centre promoted 226 job advertisements in March 2025, while 56 people were on training schemes such as Work2Benefit, Kickstart and placements with the third sector. The government said about 5,000 adults in Guernsey did not work, but the majority were able to support themselves without claiming benefits.
Scottish Sun
02-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
Easy Universal Credit trick that gets you half price travel and thousands are missing out
YOU might not be aware that there is a simple Universal Credit trick that can get you half price travel. If you receive Universal Credit, you may be able to get a huge 50% off your bus and train fares just by applying for a discount card. 1 The discount card can be picked up from your local JobCentre Plus branch Credit: SWNS The JobCentre Plus Travel Discount Card is aimed at helping those looking for work travel to job interviews at a lower cost. It's free to apply for and is valid for up to three months. The card is accepted by most train and bus operators, including Transport for London and Stagecoach. Of course, you will need to be looking for work to get the card. To be eligible for the card you must: Be claiming Universal Credit or Jobseeker's Allowance Be between 18 and 24 years' old and have been unemployed for 13 to 39 weeks. Be aged 25 and over and unemployed for 13 to 52 weeks. To apply, you'll need to go to a JobCentre Plus office. You can find your nearest one here. It's worth noting that even if you meet the criteria there is no guarantee you will receive a card as it's up to work coaches to decide. You should keep your travel card on you while you're travelling as you will need to show it to bus drivers or ticket operators to get the discount. Five key changes to PIP & Universal Credit as Labour's benefits crackdown unveiled If you can't get a card, you may still be able to get discounts on travel. For example, some operators like Greater Anglia offer free tickets for people travelling to job interviews. The scheme is aimed at people who have been unemployed for at least six months or have recently left education, and it entitles them to six free fares. Plus, you may be eligible for help with your fares in the first few months of commuting to your new job. You can contact your local Jobcentre Plus office for more information. Am I entitled to Universal Credit? According to the GOV website, if you're on a low income or need help with your living costs, then you could be entitled to Universal Credit. To claim, you must live in the UK, be aged 18 or over (with some exceptions if you're 15 to 17), be under State Pension age, and have £16,000 or less in money, savings and investments. Other circumstances are if you are out of work, or unable to work, for example because of a health condition. Other help is available for those on Universal Credit and searching for work through the Restart Scheme. Your JobCentre work coach can help you make a claim through the scheme, which helps to cover costs including childcare and transport. The coach can also provide support with with skills training, job applications and interview preparation among other things. Another useful scheme is the Government's Flexible Support Fund, a pot of money which is managed by local job centres and distributed at their discretion. It can be used to cover costs like training for a job, travel to interviews, childcare, tools for work and clothing and uniforms. You can find out more about how to apply in our guide.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Mum who raised GP centre alarm forced from home after losing practice manager job
A MUM who raised concerns at management of the GP surgery where she worked has lost her home after being made redundant. Amy McCrystal, from Blaenavon, was the practice manager at troubled Brynmawr Medical Practice which has now been taken back under the control of the NHS following failings by the private partnership that ran it from April last year. That partnership, by doctors J Ahmed and J Allinson, is supported by private firm eHarley Street which manages its back office functions as a subcontractor. But according to Ms McCrystal problems with paying suppliers, locum doctors and the taxman became apparent within months of the partnership taking over. She was made redundant in November after she raised concerns with Gwent's Aneurin Bevan University Health Board in June. She was told redundancy was due to 'operational reasons'. Faced with losing her income just weeks before Christmas the single mum-of-two had to move back in with her mother, in Forgeside, as she feared she could no longer stay in her rental property in Blaenavon. 'My concern was could I continue to afford my bills as we all live to our means? Ms McCrystal said: 'My children do outside school activities that all have to be paid for and I started to worry without a permanent job would I fall into debt, which is the last thing I want? The only way out I could see was to give the house up and move back in with my mum.' Ms McCrystal was directly impacted by problems at the practice and called into the Job Centre last summer and told she needed to find work as issues with staff PAYE tax numbers meant her Universal Credit payments had ballooned, leaving benefits staff to assume she wasn't working. 'I looked at my statement online and the Universal Credit was something like £1,600 when it would normally be £200 something. 'I was invited to the Job Centre and they said 'it looks like you need to get into work'. I said 'you've got this all wrong'.' Ms McCrystal, who is now working on a temporary basis at a surgery in the Rhondda, said staff also discovered pension payments hadn't been made. She was also concerned at the impact on patients. Failure to pay suppliers saw the centre issuing prescriptions for patients to collect dressings from a pharmacy and bring them back to the surgery to be dressed. At the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board's most recent meeting members were updated on how the Ahmed/Allison partnership had voluntarily returned the Brynmawr contract to the NHS, and measures the board is taking to monitor its other practices at Pontypool, Aberbeeg in Abertillery, Bryntirion in Bargoed, and Tredegar. Health chiefs said there had been problems around paying locum doctors, suppliers, pension contributions and HMRC and expect payments to be prioritised from financial support being provided and want assurances the problems have been addressed. The board was also told it hasn't identified any patient safety concerns at the practices but Blaenau Gwent councillors highlighted a series of complaints from residents. Dr Ian Jones told the board meeting he'd been a GP in Blaenau Gwent for 20 years and is owed money for locum sessions at Brynmawr in July and August which he said should have been paid in September. He said he and others are considering taking the partnership to the small claims court, which he said could also impact them in England: 'Dr Ahmed and Dr Allison over the next four weeks could have another massive amount of money to find, there's no question they do owe it and have to find it from somewhere, or potentially they could fail as a partnership which could have a knock on effect then, and in England as well.' Board chair Ann Lloyd said the board is 'aware of that' and 'tracking it'. Council deputy leader Helen Cunningham said patients unable to get GP appointments at Brynmawr had been advised to go to Nevill Hall Hospital, and have faced difficulties in getting test results while John Morgan said people have 'had a service that's not up to scratch.' Ms McCrystal who was applauded by members of the public when she asked the board why it hadn't intervened earlier said she wanted to thank public who've supported her and councillors, and Blaenau Gwent MS Alun Davies, who'd highlighted problems with the practice. She said she is 'overjoyed' the practice has returned to the NHS board. The Local Democracy Reporting Service attempted to contact the Ahmed/Allinson partnership for comment.
BBC News
29-01-2025
- Business
- BBC News
St Neots Citizen Hub sees 'surge' of job seekers
A community support hub said it has been seeing a surge in people who had been made redundant or wanted to get back into work due to cost of living pressures and recent budget Citizen Hub in St Neots said there were huge challenges linked to transport, access to guidance services and "a severe lack of investment in youth infrastructure in the last decade" in the Cambridgeshire Alex Hughes hoped a local hub could create personalised opportunities for those looking for work, especially young people and user Mark, 22, said he sought support as his closest Jobcentre was an hour's bike ride away and 90% of his job applications never got responses. Mr Hughes said it was "hardly motivating" for people to spend half a day traveling from the town to the nearest JobCentre in he hoped the JobCentre would soon place someone in the Citizen Hub, which, ironically, is in a building that was formerly the town's said public transport was improving, but there was a significant barrier with cost and reliability of transport across Huntingdonshire.A 17-year-old who visited the hub told staff he was not enjoying his college course, and he had to take four different buses a day to get there and said visiting the hub was his "last attempt" to find an Hughes said: "We are a cold spot for further education and with challenging circumstances with the local secondary schools, there is a legacy effect of disengagement from local businesses. "The other effect around this is on retail and hospitality. If young people aren't learning here [due to lack of a further education college in the town] then they aren't likely to get work here either." Hub visitor Mark told BBC One's One Show that being out of work was frustrating, but welcomed the news that Cambridge Regional College would begin to host courses at the hub."It makes me feel much more positive," he Till, 27, said trying to find a job as well as being a full-time carer had been a "challenge" and thought the Job Centre she had visited was "impersonal". "What I found here brings a wonderful personal aspect to a search and with my personal circumstances I need a bit more understanding and flexibility," she said. 'Bold action' New government reforms aimed to transform the Jobcentre system and give every young person access to an apprenticeship, training and education.A spokesperson from the Department of Work and Pensions said: "For too long, millions of people have been denied their rightful chance of participating in the labour market and the hope of a brighter future."That is why we are taking bold action to support people into work through reforming Jobcentres, giving local areas the power they need to tackle economic inactivity, and transforming skills as we spread prosperity and opportunity to every part of the country." Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
