Jobcentres: Economic Growth

Work and Pensions – in the House of Commons at on 3 February 2025.

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Photo of Deirdre Costigan Deirdre Costigan Labour, Ealing Southall

What assessment she has made of the impact of jobcentres on economic growth.

Photo of Lee Pitcher Lee Pitcher Labour, Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme

What assessment she has made of the impact of jobcentres on economic growth.

Photo of Alison McGovern Alison McGovern The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions

Increasing employment and helping people into good work is essential to growing our economy, which is why our “Get Britain Working” plan sets out our vision to reform jobcentres and build a new jobs and careers service that will meet the different needs of local labour markets, people and businesses.

Photo of Deirdre Costigan Deirdre Costigan Labour, Ealing Southall

On Friday, I visited the assessment centre at the west Ealing jobcentre, where staff told me the assessments focus on proving that disabled people cannot work, rather than identifying what jobs they could do if they had the right support. Many disabled people in my constituency are eager for a good job. What more could jobcentres and the Department do to help disabled people into work, rather than simply writing them off?

Photo of Alison McGovern Alison McGovern The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions

I thank my hon. Friend for meeting with Department for Work and Pensions colleagues in west Ealing and, through her, thank them for all the work they are doing. I know she will have been impressed by them, as I always am.

Disabled people have a right to work like everyone else, and it is our job to see that right realised. Doing so will benefit everyone, as we all win when people’s talents and potential are maximised. It is good for business and strengthens our economy. We are doing great things to bring forward our plan for a new jobs and careers service, which will put disabled people at its heart.

Photo of Lee Pitcher Lee Pitcher Labour, Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme

I recently visited two jobcentres in my area, Thorne and Scunthorpe, and saw the great work being done by the staff there. Our jobcentres should be places where everyone can go for help to get them back into work. However, many blind and visually impaired people need technology such as screen readers to use computers, while others might need specialist screen magnification software. Research by Sense has found that no jobcentres have this specialist assistive technology, meaning that some disabled jobseekers cannot use the computers on site to look for work. How will the Government ensure that jobcentres are equipped with essential pieces of assistive technology in the future, enabling more disabled people to look for work?

Photo of Alison McGovern Alison McGovern The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions

I apologise to my hon. Friend; I could not quite hear which jobcentres he has visited. However, I thank him for doing so and for connecting with DWP colleagues in that way; it is really valuable. I ask him to take all our thanks back to them.

As part of the new jobs and careers service, we will radically enhance our use of technology so that people can access support through the channels that best meet their needs. Assistive technology can aid the accessibility and inclusiveness of the new service that we are building, so we are listening to those who already use it.

On 22 January, the Minister for disabled people, my right hon. Friend Sir Stephen Timms, and I met colleagues from across Parliament on the all-party parliamentary group on eye health and visual impairment, where we had a great opportunity to listen to experts in this field.

Photo of Peter Bedford Peter Bedford Conservative, Mid Leicestershire

Does the Minister agree that whatever steps her Department is taking to get people into work are being immediately undermined by the anti-growth, anti-jobs and anti-business measures included in the Government’s Employment Rights Bill?

Photo of Alex Easton Alex Easton Independent, North Down

Will the Minister join me in commending the dedication and hard work of our work coaches, who assist with job applications and interview preparations?

Photo of Alison McGovern Alison McGovern The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions

On that one, I certainly will agree. Our work coaches are absolutely brilliant, and they are leading the way in changing jobcentres.