Employment Assistance from the Department for Work and Pensions

Jobs supported by recruitment subsidies and funded in-work training: 

• A subsidy similar to the current New Deal employment option of around £1,000 to employers committed to recruit jobless people though Local Employment Partnerships. 
• Employers would also be able to access Train to Gain funding of up to £1,500 to provide training for the new employee.

Support to start a business (self employment): 

• This will be a financial subsidy of around £1,000 to ease the transition from benefit, help with start-up costs, and ensure a level of income in the first few months of trading.
• Personal advisers will help people consider self-employment, and refer where appropriate to short focused courses on whether self-employment is the right option.  Business Link provides more detailed advice if needed.

Work-related training: 

• Flexible, job-focused training, funded through the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS)
• Additional training places will be made available which are flexible enough to enable job search to continue while a person is undertaking the training.
• This complements the £100m in additional skills funding previously announced for those affected by redundancy.

Voluntary work: 

• They will signpost customers to suitable work-focused voluntary work which can prove helpful in providing skills and experience leading to paid employment.
• During a period of volunteering a person would remain on JSA and be subject to conditions attached to that benefit.
• Third sector partners will be appointed to broker a wider range of suitable opportunities